The Time Travelling Trio
by The twenty third of november
Summary: The Doctor and Clara start a relationship and the Doctor asks Clara to move into the TARDIS with him. There's only one problem, Clara's mischievous best friend Bella comes along too. They go on some dangerous and exciting adventures, but it's soon the Doctor realises there is more to Bella then it seems. She seems to be hiding a huge secret which is about to completely explode.
1. The Name Of The Doctor Continued

**The Time Travelling Trio: Chapter 1**

**The Name of the Doctor Continued**

With Clara still lying limp in his arms, the Doctor turned his back on his secret and began walking away into the darkness. His breathing grew heavier. Never did he want anyone to know his darkest secret. He had kept it a secret for so long now. No one could know about the part of him which did not keep the promise.

However, his impossible girl, Clara, now knew. The Doctor hoped she'd forget and wouldn't go searching for him. After travelling with his witty, bright companion for some time now, the Doctor knew how curious Clara was. "Secrets will keep her safe." He kept telling himself. Not that they have many secrets now anyway. Now she's been scattered through his life.

The Doctor stopped walking after his secret was out of sight. He looked down at Clara's face, her head burrowed into his neck. Her eyelids were softly closed and she had tear stains down her cheeks. The Doctor suddenly felt a surge of emotion filling his chest. He had done this to her. He had made her lost, lonely and frightened. His Clara, his perfect Clara, by letting her save him he had caused her so much pain.

He placed her down on the ground, suddenly feeling awfully light headed. The paradox was getting to him, he shouldn't be here. He needed to get out. And fast. The Doctor looked around but there was nothing to be seen but smoky remains and shadows. How was he going to get them out? He didn't know how long Clara would have left.

"Clara, Clara!" The Doctor said whilst wiping the tear stains off her cheeks tenderly. "Can you hear me Clara? Clara, wake up! Please." She appeared completely lifeless. The Doctor cupped her head in his hands. "Clara! Please! Please Clara!" The Doctor cried hysterically. Tears filled his eyes. No, this can't be it. He can't let her die again. "Clara!" he sobbed loader, pulling her to his chest. He kissed her forehead, running his hands though her hair.

The Doctor sniffed back his tears and lifted her back into his arms. He wasn't going to let her go without a fight. Clara Oswald had become the most important person in his life. She had done the most incredible thing to save him, willing to give her own life. He wasn't going to let someone he loved go again. Not Clara, defiantly not Clara.

He started walking. The Doctor wasn't sure where he was going but it seemed to get foggier with every step. Pain surged through his head, the paradox tearing away at him. He couldn't look down at Clara. He knew if he did it would hurt too much to see her innocent face. He had to focus on getting them out of there before it was too late.

All of a sudden he stumbled. It felt like more and more obstacles were being thrown in his way. He fell to the floor, still clutching at Clara to ensure her safety, feeling so incredibly helpless. "Anybody!" he shouted. "Please help us, please!" Tears pricked in his eyes again but he tried to hold them back. "I don't care if I die, but let Clara out of here, I beg." He knew this was useless; of course there was **nobody else** there. This is his time stream.

Suddenly he felt something tighten around his arm. Clara's hand, gripping at his sleeve. Her eyelids were flickering as she was trying not to fall back in to the trance. "Clara! Clara!" the Doctor exclaimed, hugging her tightly. She felt so weak, battling to get any words out of her mouth.

"D-doctor, I-I don't know where I am." She whispered.

"It's okay Clara, It's okay. You're still here with me, I'll keep you safe." He said, stroking the side of her face.

Her eyelids grew heavier and she tried fiercely to keep them open. "H-how do we get out." She murmured.

"I'm not sure but I'll find a way. I promise I will." He replied. But he knew he wasn't sure he could keep that promise. A tear slid out his eye and down his cheek again.

Clara began coughing. Her eyelids almost closed. Her mouth moved silently as she struggled to say more words.

"D-doctor. Your name." she said breathlessly. "Might be...the key." And with that her eyes fell completely shut, falling unconscious again.

The Doctor's eyes widened and his mouth turned up into a wide smile. "Oh Clara. My brilliant, impossible Clara." He kissed her forehead again. "What would I do without you?"

With Clara's words he knew exactly what he had to do. If his name was the key to open the tomb which held his time stream. Surely that delicate word could create an opening to get him out again.

The Doctor closed his eyes and said his precious name, and suddenly brightness filled his sight and an opening unfolded before them.

He pulled Clara into his arms again and used all the energy he had left to carry her through the light.

-x-

The Doctor woke up in the darkness on a cold floor with his head pounding with pain. He opened his eyes and glanced around. He was back in his tomb with Clara asleep in his arms. He let out a sigh of relief and held her tight.

"Ma'am! Ma'am! I heard something come from the tomb." Jenny called. She ran into the grave with Vastra following close behind her, instantly spotting the Doctor and Clara on the floor. "They're back! The Doctor's got Clara back!"

The women came over to where the Doctor was now sitting up, cradling Clara's head in his hands.

"Is she okay? Is she alive?" Jenny asked anxiously as her and Vastra gathered around them both.

"She has to be okay." The Doctor replied firmly, running his hands through Clara's hair and tucking strands behind her ears.

Vastra pulled out her PDA device and scanned Clara quickly. "Doctor. It's extraordinary that the time stream didn't just tear her apart. She's alive, but only just, there's still a chance she may not make…"

The Doctor interrupted her. "No! No, she will make it. Come on Clara. Please, please…" he sobbed, holding Clara close to him again.

Jenny and Vastra were slightly shocked to see the Doctor so distraught and emotional like this as he usually keeps his emotions to himself.

"Jenny, go and fetch Strax, he'll be able to help her." Vastra instructed.

Jenny did as her wife asked and rushed out the room to get Strax. They re-entered the room several seconds later.

"What is it you want now reptile?" Strax asked as he marched towards them.

"It's Clara. You must help her Strax." Vastra replied.

"I still haven't forgiven you for obliterating me earlier..." Strax argued.

"Strax!" Vastra interrupted. "We believe she may die!"

"The boy is silly for almost getting himself killed again." Strax said before getting out his life charger device and giving Clara a blast.

Clara began coughing violently, trying to grab breaths as she forced her eyes open.

"Clara!" The Doctor cried, helping her sit up before pulling her into a hug. "I thought I'd lost you."

"You don't get rid of me that easily chin boy." She chuckled faintly.

"Jenny, Strax, come with me. We need to find the TARDIS and get it ready for the Doctor. We all need to get out of here as soon as possible." Vastra demanded, and the 3 of them briskly left the tomb.

The Doctor smiled and gave Clara another long hug. "Promise me you'll never risk your life for me ever again." he said sensitively.

"Only if you promise me the same." She replied.

The Doctor held her closer and kissed her head. "You know I could never do that."

"Why not?" she asked curiously.

"Because…" The Doctor said, breaking away from the hug and placing his hand on Clara's neck. "Because I love you Clara. I love you too much to ever let you go."

Clara gazed into his eyes, stunned. "You…you love me?"

"Well yes. Yes I suppose I do really." He said, smiling nervously.

Clara grinned happily, putting her hands behind his neck and pulling him closer. She placed her lips on his, kissing him gently. This time the Doctor did not wriggle around but instead kissed her back passionately.

They broke apart, grinning at each other delightedly.

"Oh Doctor" Clara said beaming. "I love you too."


	2. Clara's Best Friend

**The Time Travelling Trio: Chapter 2**

**Clara's Best friend.**

_*Author's Note: This is another whouffle fic, but I think those who don't ship whouffle will also enjoy it. 'Bella Scott' is my creation, so her character belongs to me. There will also be a another chapter to this fic later this week. I hope you enjoy the story :)*_

When 24 year old Clara Oswald gave up travelling around the globe to look after the Maitland kids, she didn't just miss out on the 101 places to see. She missed out on travelling the world with Bella Scott, her best and longest lasting friend.

Growing up, Clara and Bella were inseparable. They met on the first day of play school and spent everyday side by side. Both being an only child, they became like sisters to each other. They sat together for every class all the way through primary to high school and their weekends at each other's houses. Due to Bella's Mum's abandonment when she was young and her Dad not being around, Bella had even spent a few years when she was little sharing a room with Clara at the Oswald home.

Throughout their childhood, both girls had been fascinated by Clara's book 101 places to see. They spent their free time reading it over and over. Planning a journey together so one day, they could visit all of those places themselves. When they'd reached the age of 22 and both received their university degrees, the dream had still not changed. They'd spent the entire final year of university preparing their 2 year trip to travel the world together, side by side as it had always been.

But the week before they were due to go, it all changed. The death of the Maitland's mother broke Clara's heart. They'd been there for Clara through all her hard times and she knew she had to return the favour, giving up the trip of the lifetime to help them through it. Bella however, wasn't going to give up on the dream that easily. She knew she was going on this trip no matter what, so left on her own and travelled the globe by herself.

Even though Clara secretly had a stab of jealousy and was upset her best friend still wanted to go without her, she let Bella go. If Clara couldn't, at least she knew she wasn't holding Bella back from doing what she wanted.

Through the 2 years Clara and Bella kept in touch, but Clara never spoke of her much. She knew if she did it would hurt to think of all she was missing out from, and she didn't want the Maitland family to feel as if it were their fault. But on a cold rainy evening on the 20st April 2013, Clara opened the Maitland's front door to see a wet, tired looking Bella Scott.

"Bella?!" Clara said in surprise, giving her a big hug. "I didn't think you'd be back already."

"I did tell you I'd be back around the 19th in my last letter Clar, would've been here yesterday but the airport was hell. Wouldn't let me through customs just because I couldn't find my passport!"

"Funny that." Clara chuckled, happy to see her best friend again she suddenly realised she'd missed so much.

"Let me in then you idiot, I'm getting absolutely drenched out here. Oh, and get my other case for me won't you?"

"Oh sure, no need to say please or anything."

Bella laughed. "Missed me?"

"Lots."

-x-

Even though they were best friends, the 2 women both had quite different personalities. Clara had always been the brave, hardworking and loving one. She was always the curious explorer when they were searching for dragons in the woods when they were 8. Or the one that always knew how to fix a grazed knee. Bella was the funny one, laid back and naughty, always getting herself into trouble at school and gathering a crowd in the playground. But even because of this they were best friends because one completed the other.

Clara walked Bella into the Maitland's kitchen, reintroducing her to Angie and Artie who were sitting at the dinner table doing their homework.

"Guys, do you remember my friend Bella, Bella Scott?"

They both looked up from their work.

"Ur, no?" Angie replied in her usual annoying 'not bothered' attitude.

"Oh I do!" said Artie. "You were the one who gave me the…"

His voice was cut off by Bella making hand gestures signalling him to stop talking.

"The…um…nothing." He continued as Angie started laughing.

"The what?!" Clara raised her eyebrows suspiciously.

"Never mind." Bella said as she started dragging Clara out the room by her arm. "Let's see our room then Clar."

"I'm sorry… _our_ room? How long are you planning to stay?"

Bella laughed and ran up the stairs as if she were a kid. Clara followed her and directed Bella into her room.

"Nice size." Bella said as she walked around the room, picking up various photo frames and ornaments off Clara's shelves and studying them before putting them back in a different place.

"Do you mind?" said Clara as she rearranged Bella's mess. "I'm trying to keep this place tidy."

"Okay, Okay. So what's up with you?" Bella asked as she lay down on Clara's bed, kicking off her shoes.

"What do you mean 'What's up' with me?"

Bella raised her eyebrows. "You seem different. Have you got yourself a new mystery fella I don't know about?"

Clara swallowed nervously. Bella probably knew her better than anyone, and over these 21 years of friendship Bella could read Clara like a book. And vice-versa. Well, usually.

"So there is someone isn't there!? I knew it. I can't believe you never told me! I thought we still told each other everything. I told you about every guy I hooked up with whilst I was away!"

"Mm!" Clara said rolling her eyes. On several phone calls she'd had with Bella she'd received very detailed descriptions of what she got up to.

"So? Who is it? I still can't believe you didn't tell me! Don't you remember our sisterhood pact?"

Clara burst out laughing. She sat down on her bed next to where Bella had stretched herself out like a pussy cat, hitting her with a pillow to make her move over.

"How old where we when we made up that? 6?"

"I have no idea! But I believe one of the rules were that we always had to tell each other all our secrets. So spill, Miss Oswald."

Clara sighed, she ran her finger down the stitching on the pillow she'd just hit Bella with, thinking about what to say. What could she say? She'd run away with a mad man in a box, she'd almost died, scattered herself through space and the last time the she'd seen him she had the most amazing kiss she'd ever had in her entire life.

After the Doctor and Clara had left Trenzalore, the Doctor made her stay in the Tardis for several days whilst her ankle got better. And of course, to generally make sure she was okay. Clara had hoped that they would kiss again through those 3 long days, but they didn't. The day after Trenzalore it was as if the Doctor had changed. Something was bothering him more than usual and he'd become more shy of Clara's presence.

He had told Clara to stay in bed and rest, but being typical Clara, she did the opposite. She spent the days roaming the different passageways of the Tardis, scanning through books in the library or searching through large rooms filled with the Doctor's various belongings. Anything to keep her mind busy. This consequently meant they didn't spend much time together at all.

On the morning of the 4th day, Clara had had enough and walked in to the console room to where the Doctor was sat fixing some wires under the main console.

"I'm better now."

"That's good to hear." He looked up at her reservedly, before coughing, standing up and walking to the other side of the console. "Home sweet home then?"

Clara seemed disappointed, expecting they could finally talk about what happened between them in Trenzalore. The Doctor spun round, flicking switches as the Tardis jerked around like it usually does, throwing them against the railings.

The Doctor began talking again once they'd finally landed. "April 14th 2013, your front garden, pretty good parking if I do say so myself."

"Doctor."

"Oh and what a sunny day it is too…"

"Doctor!" Clara interrupted.

He winced, looking like an anxious puppy. "Yes?"

"Do you think we should…talk?"

"Well, um… oh look, Angie and Artie are outside!" he said looking at his monitor.

He opened the doors and started to walk towards them. Clara sighed and followed him, annoyed at his avoidance of the subject.

"This time next week Clara?" he smiled weakly. She sighed again.

"Fine, we will talk then though Doctor, no exceptions." She said, stepping out the Tardis.

"Yes…right, well okay."

Clara began to walk away, but he caught her arm and she spun round. "I do love you, Clara...I'm just…I don't…"

"I know, I understand." She'd said before walking away, letting the Tardis disappear behind her.

She understood that a relationship between a human and a timelord will be complicated and confusing for him. But she's seen all his life and all of his faces, and she knew how hard it was for him to keep loving and losing. _It must burn holes in his hearts after a while, but it must crumble them now he's got past a thousand years_.

"Oh Clar, it's not chip-shop-Dan again is it? I've told you several times you could do so much better than that weasel." Bella carried on, pestering Clara.

"You wouldn't even believe me if I told you…"

"I'll keep an open mind then."

-x-

"What the hell is a timelord?" Bella demanded. She was now knelt on the floor, unpacking her things from her suitcases and throwing them into some of Clara's empty draws. Clara was sat cross-legged on the end of her bed watching her.

"The Doctor's an alien from the planet Galifray, a time traveller in this space ship thing called the Tardis. He looks like a human but has two hearts…and he's over a thousand years old."

Bella turned round and looked at her suspiciously. "A bit of an age gap then? And a time traveller? An alien?"

Clara didn't say anything. She knew she must sound really stupid

"So this guy must be pretty hot for 1000, otherwise you totally wouldn't be interested. Or is he rich? Is that it?" she teased.

"I don't know if he needs money." Clara said thoughtfully. "But he looks like someone in his late 20's I'd say…"

She was interrupted by Bella. "So is he hot, or not?"

Clara blushed. "I supposed he is, bit of a large chin on him though."

"So when do I get to meet this 'Doctor time traveller' man? Because without any proof you're beginning to sound completely crazy Clar."

Clara laughed. She did sound crazy. How was Bella supposed to know that any of this could possibly be true?

"And Doctor who? What is his name?"

"Nobody knows." She lied, she knew River knew. "He just likes to be called 'The Doctor'."

Bella frowned. "He sounds weird. Are you sure he hasn't got you on drugs or something? And when am I meeting him?"

"No no no! And he said he'd be back in a week on the 14th, what day is it today?"

"The 20th… brilliant, that means I get to meet him tomorrow then."

Clara sighed. "Why do you want to meet him so badly anyway Bels?"

"Hey!" Bella stood up, having finished unpacking all of her things. She walked back over to Clara's bed and sat down next to her. "Sisters look after each other and I have to make sure he's good enough for mine."

Clara smiled and gave her a hug.

"Thank you. And thank you for coming back."

-x-

Clara was woken the next morning by the sound of a very loud hairdryer being used next to her. She looked up to see Bella sat in front of the dresser drying her long wavy blonde hair. Clara glanced at her alarm clock.

"I need to go and get the kids ready for school." She muttered, getting up.

Bella turned off the hairdryer and looked at herself in the mirror, flipping her hair about dramatically. Clara rolled her eyes.

"You look fine, now stop showing off."

Bella's very attractive with blonde hair and big brown eyes. She's a lot taller than 5 ft2 Clara at 5 ft10 and her skin is nicely tanned from her trip.

Bella grinned mockingly. "I wish I could say the same about you, but your hair looks like you've been dragged through a bush."

Clara scowled. "I'm going for a shower. Can you make the kids some breakfast for me? As soon as Mr Maitland is letting you stay with us rent free you could at least help out a little."

Bella sighed. "Okay... But I was joking about your hair, it still looks gorgeous."

"And you're still making the kids some breakfast."

"Damn."

Clara laughed. "I'll be down in 20 minutes."

Bella made her way downstairs to where the kids were sat in their school uniforms, arguing at the kitchen table.

They both stopped when Bella came in and Angie glared in her direction. "We're hungry, where's Clara?"

"Getting ready. So what's for breakfast? Cereal with milk or milk with cereal?"

Artie laughed but Angie continued to glare at her. "I don't like cereal. Can't you cook us a full English breakfast?"

"Who do you think I am? Jamie Oliver? My cooking talents end at jam on toast I'm afraid."

Angie screwed up her nose. "No thanks, I'll have a yoghurt."

"What about you Artie? Fancy some coco pops?" Bella asked.

"Yes please."

Bella gave them both breakfast and sat down at the table herself with a coffee, skimming through an issue of 'OK!' magazine which she'd found on the kitchen counter.

Once they'd finished breakfast, Clara came downstairs and started cleaning up their mess. "You 2 need to go to the bus stop now or you're going to be late."

"Whatever." Angie called as she walked out the front door.

"Bye Bella." Artie said, before running after his sister.

Clara raised her eyebrows at her. "Artie likes you."

"A lot of people like me." Bella joked.

"Mm."

"So when is this mystery man of yours coming?"

Just as she asked, a high pitched whooshing sound arose from outside.

"Sounds like he's here." Clara said, walking Bella to the front door. She couldn't help feeling nervous. Not just because of the doctor meeting her best friend for the first time, but also because of how they both left things last week.

Clara and Bella watched the Tardis fully appear on the Maitland's doorstep. Angie and Artie were halfway down the road, but turned around and watched the Tardis too.

Bella opened her mouth in shock "He certainly knows how to make an entrance."

"Are you freaked out?"

"Not freaked out. But…Isn't that box a bit small, you know, to be a spaceship?"

"Why don't you take a look inside?"

Bella walked up to the Tardis and opened the door, she stepped inside and her jaw dropped. The Doctor was stood at the Tardis console, watching her come in.

"Who on earth are you?" He asked, looking very confused. "Have I turned up at the wrong place again?"

"It's…"

"Yes?"

"It's smaller on the outside."

The doctor sighed "Nobody says bigger on the inside anymore. I've really got to think about upgrading the console room…"

"Clara!" Bella called.

Clara walked in, laughing at the expressions on both of their faces. "Doctor, this is my friend Bella Scott. She's staying with me at the moment. And Bella, this is the Doctor."

"I can see what you meant about the chin." Bella smirked.

"What is wrong with my chin? And Clara, you can't just bring people along with you willy-nilly you know, I'm not a taxi."

She ignored him and walked up to the console. "Where are we going today chin boy?"

"Well, I'm not sure. I thought we were going to talk…"

"Yes, we are."

"But I'm guessing wherever we are going she is coming with us…"

"Yes, she is."

They looked up to see Bella, now on the other side of the console, flicking lots of random switches. The whole Tardis suddenly lurched forward and engine made some very loud groaning noises.

"Ah! Stop it, stop it!" The Doctor ran forward and turned everything off, making the Tardis come to a sudden holt.

"See? She's been here less than 5 minutes and she already almost broke the Tardis."

"You're uptight." Bella replied, studying him up and down.

"Bella!" Clara exclaimed. "Don't touch the alien stuff, it will get you in more trouble then you bargained for."

"Excuse me." The Doctor said. "It's not called 'Alien stuff'. And she can't travel with us if she is going to break her."

"Her?" Bella asked.

"He calls the Tardis a her." Clara replied

"He's a bit weird."

"Clara! She keeps insulting me!" The Doctor whined.

Clara leant against the railings with her arms crossed, laughing.

"I don't like you much yet." Bella said, walking around the Doctor. "You're going to have to do much better if you want to impress me."

"And why would I want to impress you?"

"Because only the best get to date my Clara."

The Doctor straightened up and fixed his bowtie awkwardly.

"Clara's special to you?" He asked.

"Yes, she's like a sister to me."

"Well, she's very special to me too."

Bella smiled. "You're cute…but you have an awful dress sense." She said, pulling at his bowtie.

The Doctor fixed his bowtie again. "Bowties are cool… and I am not cute."

"You keep giving me looks like a little puppy."

The Doctor tried to stand up to Bella, but with her boots on she was a good inch taller than him. Bella grinned at his attempt. They both stood there for a minute, challenging each other silently.

Clara rolled her eyes and walked towards them. "Bella, could you go and explore for a few minutes, me and the Doctor need to talk."

She sighed but walked off, following Clara's instructions.

"Good to see you have her under control." The Doctor said once Bella had walked down the passageway, out of sight.

"She's a puppy dog too really; she's just trying to wind you up."

The Doctor began to feel anxious again with him and Clara being alone together. She walked forward and touched his arm, looking into his eyes.

"So what's happening with us? Because I know this must be confusing for you Doctor, but I'm not going to be messed around."

"No, no of course not. I wouldn't do that…And I'm so sorry for ignoring you most of last week. The truth is, I didn't feel like I could speak to you the first few days because…"

"Because?"

"Because Clara, every time I think of what happened…it makes me angry at myself for letting it happen to you. And then when I think of what you did, sacrificing yourself for me…I feel so much love for you."

He paused, putting his hand on her cheek and stroking it gently.

"And my hearts break, because I have caused someone I love so much pain."

"I'd do it all over again." She whispered.

A tear trickled down the Doctor's cheek, and Clara reached and wiped it with her sleeve.

"When we kissed, it made me realise I've fallen _in_ love with you. You're perfect for me Clara. Perfect in every way. Which is why…I'm scared."

"I don't understand."

"I'm scared I'll put you in danger again…And I'm afraid, so afraid of losing you."

"I did what I did because I was afraid in Trenzalore. I've always loved you Doctor, I had to stop myself from falling in love with you, sometimes twice a day. And when I saw you dying, I knew I couldn't just sit there and watch it happen. Life wouldn't be worth it if you weren't there. And now…now I've let myself fall in love with you, so there's no going back."

The Doctor laughed. "Well, I guess there isn't but…"

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

Before he knew it, their lips had collided. He put his hands round her waist and she ran her hands through his hair. They kissed long and hard again and again, neither of them wanting to break apart.

"Wow, you can't keep your hands off of her for 5 minutes can you?"

The Doctor and Clara sprung apart like guilty teenagers and turned around to see Bella with her hands on her hips, coming up the stairs to the console.

"Um…we…urr…were just…" The Doctor stuttered.

"I could see exactly what you were doing mister, you had your tongue halfway down her throat!"

Clara started laughing and touched the Doctor's arm affectionately. "She's just teasing you again."

"Mm." He muttered. Turning towards the console screen. "So ladies, where am I going to take you both today?"

"Where can we go in this thing?" Bella asked curiously.

"Anywhere."

"Absolutely anywhere?"

"Within reason, anywhere in time and space in the universe."

"Then… take me to see the most beautiful thing that's ever happened."

"The most beautiful thing in the entire universe?" he asked. He looked down at Clara and squeezed her hand, making her blush bright pink.

Bella rolled her eyes. "The most amazing, beautiful, brilliant event on any planet or any star."

"Right, well I think I know just the place."

"Where?" They both asked.

"Hold on tight."

*To Be Continued*


	3. The Celebration of the Waterfall

**The Time Travelling Trio: Chapter 3**

**The Celebration of The Waterfall**

_(Sequel to 'Clara's Best friend')_

"Where are we?" Clara asked. The Tardis had just come to a stop and the engine was making calm whooshing sounds.

"We are…" The Doctor said, running up to the Tardis doors and throwing them open. "…At the most beautiful event in the universe!"

Clara and Bella peeped their heads outside the Tardis door, to see that they were on a piece of floating rock in space overlooking a massive waterfall. The waterfall was glowing bright and fell down and down and down, never seeming to end.

"How is that even possible?" Bella asked, in ore.

"That is the planet Fallitopia, tiny, but home to the largest waterfall in the entire universe." The Doctor explained. "Every a thousand years the residents have a celebration here and the waterfall comes to life. One of the most beautiful sights you'll ever see."

"So…what year is it? Like, on Earth?" Bella asked.

"Earth years 10786."

"But, that means I'm…dead."

"But very much alive." The Doctor grinned at her.

"So can we go down on to that planet ourselves Doctor? Watch it come to life with the people there?" Clara asked.

"Mm…on one condition."

"What?"

"No wondering off!"

"Okay, okay." Clara laughed, walking back into the Tardis.

Bella and the Doctor followed her.

"So what aliens live here?" Bella questioned. "What are they like?"

"The Phiobians, came from the planet Phiobia and settled here, it is now completely inhabited by them. Pale blue, 3 eyes, no hair, they're scaled like fish; love the water, brilliant swimmers. They are having a festival together down there; they live in a sort of tribe. It's their way of celebrating."

The Doctor spun around flicking switches and pulling leavers, making the Tardis fly.

"So, how do we talk to them? Surely they don't speak English?"

"The Tardis gets into your head." Clara explained. "It translates what they say to you and what you say to them."

Bella nodded. "So I'm going to be speaking Phiobian?"

"Exactly." The Doctor replied. "We're here."

They walked out too see what was a dark forest in front of them, the sky was black as well as everything else.

"Is this the same place?" Bella queried.

"Yes, the whole planet is dark so you can see the magic of the waterfall." The Doctor said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out 3 torches and threw one each to Clara and Bella.

"You're pockets are bigger on the inside as well?"

"The bigger the better. Follow me."

They turned on their torches and followed the Doctor through the woods.

"Bella?" Clara asked.

"Yes?"

"Is there a part of you which is a teeny-tiny bit scared?"

"Of being lead through dark dangerous woods on an alien planet with a weird man I've only just met?"

"Yeah, that."

"Hey! There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of Clara!" the Doctor said, reaching out and holding her hand. "Look, you can almost see the waterfall now, come on."

They all ran through the last part of the woods and suddenly stopped when they reached the end. In front of them was the most massive article Bella or Clara had ever seen.

"It's so…even bigger…up close." Clara whispered.

The Doctor nodded. "With the strongest current on any river ever known. Which means, don't go anywhere near it, or you won't be coming back. Understood?"

"You don't have to tell me twice."

"Bella, do you understand?" he asked. He glanced over to where Bella had been standing but saw an empty space. "Bella!? Where is she? She's wondered off already! What was my only condition about coming down here? No wondering off!"

Clara sighed. "Don't worry Doctor, I'm sure she's over with that crowd of Phiobians at the festival over there. Come on, she can't have gone far."

In front of them was a large gathering of Phiobians on a field at the edge of the Waterfall. All of them dancing and drinking. Loud music was being played on large instruments that looked like drums and lots of singing and chanting. They all wore flowers around their necks and most of them were holding flame torches.

Clara and The Doctor began to walk towards it, still tightly holding hands.

"As soon as I met that girl I knew she'd be nothing but trouble." The Doctor muttered.

Clara sighed. "There are 4 things you need to know about Bella Scott."

"Yes?"

"One, she usually does the complete opposite of what she's been told."

"That's become very clear."

"Two, She doesn't think about what she says before she says it, which is why she frequently comes out with insults."

"So has that."

"Three, whatever she does she'll get you into a heap of trouble."

"Why did you insist on bringing her with us again?"

"And four, she'll flirt with any mildly attractive guy she meets…human or…otherwise." She nodded towards where Bella was now stood in front of them, getting very close to a Phiobian man.

"She could flirt with anyone, but it had to be the tribe leader didn't it?"

"Uh-oh." Clara exclaimed. They walked up to Bella, who currently had her hand held by the leader.

He looked up, smiling at the Doctor and Clara. For a man with scales and 3 eyes, he was strangely good-looking.

"Hello, you must be the Doctor and Clara. I am Missibo, leader of the tribe. I welcome you, my guests, to the celebration of the waterfall. And I thank you for bringing such a beautiful lady."

He lifted up Bella's hand and kissed it softly. The Doctor rolled his eyes.

Missibo looked towards the Doctor and Clara's hands, still firmly in each other's grip. "And Clara is your lady yes?"

The Doctor smiled. "Yes, yes she is. I was wondering, Missibo, if there was somewhere we could sit to watch the event with the best view?"

"Of course, anything for the precious lady." He replied, gazing at Bella. A waiter came past and handed out flower garlands, and The Doctor, Clara and Bella placed them around their necks.

"Don't compliment her too much." Clara smirked. "You can already see her big head growing."

Bella turned round and glared at Clara making her and The Doctor laugh.

"This way, this way my friends." Missibo instructed, leading them up a steep path towards the top of the waterfall. He gestured to several large seats right at the top, overlooking it. "These are reserved for the finest of guests. You 3 can sit here. Please enjoy. Call for me if you need anything."

"Thank you" Bella said, kissing his cheek.

Missibo blushed, and walked away smiling.

"Really, you had to flirt with the leader?" The Doctor muttered.

"And you had to flirt with my best friend?"

"No, well, yes, well…shut up!"

-x-

"Is anyone else bored?" Clara asked. She was sat sideways in her chair, legs hanging over the arm rest whilst twirling her hair round her fingers.

"When is this thingy supposed to start anyway?" Bella pestered.

"Urm, not for another…hour." The Doctor replied, scratching behind his neck.

"Enough time to go exploring then." Said Clara, jumping up from the seat.

"Exploring where exactly? All I can see is a large waterfall which will get us killed if we go any closer to it and lots of dancing fish people. Well, I guess we could go and try out some of their drinks, I need something alcoholic!"

The Doctor sighed. "Bella, the Phiobians don't drink alcohol, they don't even have alcohol on this planet. All they drink is pure waters."

"And they call this a party?" she muttered, getting up and dragging Clara by the arm. "Come on, let's find something to do!"

"No no no no no! The Doctor yelled, standing up. "You've already broken this rule once Bella, no wondering off!"

"Why do you even have a rule anyway?"

"Because when people wonder off, they get lost. When they get lost, they get into trouble and when they get in trouble, that's when I have to start saving people. That's when people get hurt!"

"Come with us then saviour boy." Bella said, walking away. She flashed her torch in his direction. "You're not scared of the dark are you?" she teased.

The Doctor gave in and followed them. They walked down the steep path they first came up and back to the main festival. More and more people seemed to be arriving, even some aliens from other planets like them.

"Hey, what's that?" Clara asked pointing up to a tall, large mountain in the distance. It was hardly visible because of the extreme darkness, but when she shone her torch they could just about see its silhouette.

"The sacred mountain of Falltopia. It has a mass of caves underneath containing priceless 'possessions of the gods'. But no one visits there anymore." The Doctor replied.

"Why not?" she asked again. "Surely they must get a lot of people trying to steal priceless objects if they keep them under a mountain?"

"When I say they are priceless…" He replied. "They are priceless to the citizens because of their beliefs. Not to any other species."

"Yeah, but why don't any of them go there anymore?" Bella asked.

"Ah, the sacred mountain of Fallitopia. No one visits there. It is home to the unknown." An unfamiliar voice said behind them.

It was a Phiobian man who had been listening in on their conversation. "You see, many years ago there was an invasion to Fallitopia. The residents retreated to their shelter and kept safe; we are not fighters, but lovers. Once we thought it was safe, we emerged. However, they are still here, they live in the mountain, always watching over us. We try to enjoy ourselves, but you see. We are always overlooked by fear."

"What, so they just stay in the mountain and don't do anything?" Clara wondered.

"Yes. Nobody knows what they look like or who they are. We saw their ships, we saw the invasion, but we do not know who is there."

"They are too scared to go looking." The Doctor said. "But don't you think, on the biggest night on this planet in a thousand years, your invaders are just going to sit there and watch? I don't think so. They will be up to something."

"Something dangerous?" Clara asked.

"Most definitely."

"And, we're going to go find out what it is, aren't we?"

The Doctor swallowed. He knew they had to help the thousands of people who lived on this little planet, but he knew it would be dangerous. As always, incredibly risky. He promised himself he wouldn't let Clara get hurt again. But as he well knew, she wasn't going to stay behind and watch.

"Unfortunately, yes."

"And how are we going to get there?"

"Walk."

Between where they were standing and the mountain, was another different wood. This one was much larger, darker and scarier.

"Through the pitch black woods?"

"Yup."

"Oh, brilliant." Clara bit her lip nervously.

Bella frowned. "Why are you scared? We used to explore the woods all the time when we were little."

Clara remained silent.

"Wait…it's not the woods, you're still frightened of the dark aren't you!?"

"No…"

"Yes you are! Ever since we were little she's never been able to sleep in the dark. I stayed nights at her house a lot as a kid and she always had to keep a night light on, it drove me insane…"

"I am a grown woman!" Clara exclaimed. "The Doctor and I once visited a haunted house and we searched for ghosts in the dark!"

"To be fair, I did have to dare you to do it and you wouldn't let go of my hand the whole time…" The Doctor admitted.

Clara elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow! Ow! Okay! Fine Clara, let's get going shall we? We've got 55 minutes until the waterfall 'comes to life' and I have a feeling it will not be a pleasant experience." He looked towards the mysterious Phiobian man. "Would you like to come with us?"

He shook his head. "No, but I will tell Missibo what you are doing. He will be most thankful."

The Doctor saluted him and began walking towards the woods. "Come on gang, we have a world to save."

-x-

The woods were cold, damp and very very dark. Even though Clara wouldn't admit that she was a 'teeny-tiny bit scared' she still held the Doctor's hand tight at all times. Bella walked along next to them humming to herself.

The Doctor stopped and turned towards her. "Do you mind?"

"Do I mind what?"

"All that humming! It's throwing me off!"

"Throwing you off what? Does it really take that much brain power for you just to concentrate on walking?"

"Actually, I'm trying to work out who it could possibly be that has invaded this planet. And I'll have you know I have a higher brain capacity then your little brain could possibly imagine."

Bella scowled. "You think very highly of yourself."

"Can you just be quiet for 5 minutes, so I can think, please?"

"Just do what he says." Clara begged.

"Fine. But how long will it take us to get through these woods? It feels like we've been walking forever."

"We've been walking for five minutes!" The Doctor exclaimed. "It should take us another 10 minutes to walk through, now can we just be quiet?" He lowered his voice. "Because really…how sure are we that we are alone in these woods?"

Bella looked at him doubtfully. She wasn't sure if this was just a technique to shut her up or if he really was questioning their safety.

"Well, let's get moving then, because standing around here is beginning to give me the creeps." Clara confessed.

"Just stay holding my hand." The Doctor said, smiling at her. He then turned to Bella. "And no wondering off."

The Doctor's voice had become harsher when instructing Bella this time. She was slightly surprised at his change of tone, so nodded silently.

They carried on walking through the woods. It felt like it was becoming colder and colder. Both women only had very thin jackets on, so had started to shiver. It was all of a sudden when Bella stopped in her tracks. This was not because she was shivering from the cold air, but because of a shiver she felt down her spine. The sort of shiver where you can feel something is there, but you don't know what it is. She heard crackles behind the trees, and spun round flashing her torch in the direction of the noise.

The Doctor stopped too and looked over at her. "What is it?" He let go of Clara's hand and walked towards where she was shining her torch. He searched around for a few minutes but couldn't see anything.

"Maybe I'm starting to hear things…" Bella questioned herself. "But I swear, there was something here with us."

"Are you sure?" The Doctor asked uncertainly.

"Almost positive."

"Clara, did you hear anything?"

The Doctor and Bella both had their backs turned on her, staring in the direction of the noises. Clara didn't answer. The Doctor suddenly felt a shiver down his spine too. It was weird for Clara to not say anything for so long; she was usually curiously asking questions.

He looked over his shoulder to see that Clara was in fact, gone. "Clara!" He yelled. "Clara! Where are you?" He began to panic. Clara wouldn't have just wondered off. She had been scared of even entering these woods in the first place. "Clara!" he screamed over and over again.

"Bella, when did you last see her?"

Bella looked at the Doctor fearfully. "She was holding your hand, and you came over here because I heard something…I wasn't looking at her…"

The Doctor screamed again. "Clara!" He had begun shaking now. He'd been so afraid of losing her and now it was actually happening. No, no, she couldn't be gone. Where could she have gone? She wouldn't have wondered off… Unless…

"Do you think…" Bella said fretfully. "She's been taken?"

"But we would have heard her."

"Well, I don't know. They could have grabbed her mouth or something? Because after you were being such a strict arse earlier I highly doubt she would have gone for a walk about." Bella muttered.

All the emotion began to make the Doctor hysterical.

"This is all your fault!" He shouted. "If you hadn't stupidly started looking for some rustling in the trees we would have seen what happened to her! And now you're just making jokes when she's missing like you don't even care about her…"

Bella slapped him hard across the face. It took him entirely by surprise and he grabbed his cheek in pain.

"Ow!" he cried.

"I've actually been wanting to do that all day…" She admitted. "But you just gave me a damn good reason to. Don't you dare say this is all my fucking fault because it was your idiotic idea to come searching for these invading aliens in the first place. Also, I never asked you to come over here and check if there was anything there. And Thirdly, Don't you ever, ever say I don't care about Clara."

She stepped closer to him. Her whole face was burning up with anger and the Doctor felt himself feel slightly frightened by the 24 year old woman.

"Because to me, she's the closest thing I have left to family. And family will always look after each other and care for each other. So don't think you can just swan in and presume that you are the only one that gives a shit. Because you're not. If anything happened to her…"

Her eyes began to fill with tears but she blinked them away. Bella Scott wasn't the type to cry around someone she'd only just met. She knew she couldn't continue without crying so she turned her back on him.

The Doctor suddenly felt extremely guilty for shouting at her. Of course she cared. He didn't know how to comfort Bella so put his hand lightly on her arm to make her turn back to face him.

"Look, Bella I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. It's just, I've almost lost her so many times before and I can't let it happen again, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I know it's not your fault."

She sighed. "And I'm sorry for slapping you. Even though I did enjoy it."

"You have a very hard hit." He said, rubbing his cheek again.

She rolled her eyes and started to walk forwards into the woods. "Come on then, we don't have all day you know. They must have Clara so we have to go and get her back."

The Doctor walked after her. "In a few ways you are quite like Clara. Incredibly bossy."

-x-

It took them another 5 minutes to reach the end of the woods. As they came out, right before them was the gigantic mountain. It spread across as far as the eye could see and now they were so close it looked incredibly daunting.

"Right, so how do we get in?" Bella said determinedly.

The Doctor started walking around the edge with his sonic screwdriver. "There will be a secret entrance down here some…woah!"

The secret passage opened up right under the Doctor's feet and he fell through the ground, landing on the floor of an underground corridor. Bella laughed and knelt down beside the opening.

"Don't suppose that fall did any wonders for your chin?" she joked.

The Doctor stood up, brushing the dirt from the floor off of his clothes. "Could you try to not insult me quite so much?"

Bella laughed again and hopped down into the corridor herself and the Doctor shut the door with his sonic screwdriver. They walked down the long winding passage and eventually came to a large wooden door at the end.

"So this is it." Bella said. "They're going to be behind this door?"

"Well, probably. That's if we can get through it…"

"What do you mean? Can't you use that funny stick of yours?"

The Doctor sighed. "It's called a sonic screwdriver…and it doesn't work on wood."

She glanced down to see a massive wooden padlock on the door.

"What, so you can open trap doors but it 'doesn't work on wood'?"

"Um, yeah."

Bella held her torch with 2 hands and started bashing up the padlock with it.

"Bella I don't think that's going to…"

The padlock snapped off and fell to the ground.

She raised her eyebrows. "What did you say about brain capacity again?"

"Well…I...um…shut up!"

The Doctor slowly opened the big door and peeped his head around it. Through it was a big dark hall with flame torches and weird symbols on the walls. Several tall figures in long black robes with hoods that completely covered their faces were gathered in it but he couldn't see Clara.

"AHH!" The Doctor suddenly heard a scream from behind him. 4 of the figures were standing there and 2 of them had grabbed Bella. He tried to resist but they grabbed him too and pulled them through the door. All the figures in the hall turned around and acknowledged their presence.

"Get off me you dickheads!" Bella screamed, struggling aggressively. The figures were very strong and had a firm grip on her arms.

"Um, Bella, if I were you I wouldn't be using language like that with people that have the potential to kill us." The Doctor advised.

"I'm going to fucking kill you if we make it out of here." She yelled.

They were silenced by the entrance of another figure into the hall. Unlike the others, this one was wearing a bright red robe and had a large gold chain around his neck. He walked up to the Doctor and Bella and stood in front of them.

"Doctor." He said. "We've been expecting you."

"Of course you have, you've got Clara, haven't you?"

"Yes, we have your girlfriend in what you would call…captivity."

"You better not have hurt her."

"Oh no, she's safe for now. We just took her to get your attention." The man chuckled. "And I see you've brought another woman with you." He glanced towards Bella who was still struggling fiercely to break free. "This one seems to be even more feisty then the other one."

"I always seem to end up travelling with feisty women..." The Doctor muttered.

"Who the hell are you anyway?" Bella demanded.

"I am the leader of the Tyconerax." He replied. "And we are here for the celebration of the waterfall."

"Why?" She demanded again.

"We like to think of ourselves as…business men. The Phiobians on this planet may be lovers, but we will do anything possible to get our hands on what we want."

"Which is?"

"This entire planet. Are you any good at science young lady?"

She shook her head.

"The reason we are here, is because this waterfall has the biggest current in the universe, which means a lot of water power. This for us means a lot of energy. There is a recession out there in space, and everyone wants energy cheaply. On the night the waterfall comes to life, the energy of the current increases by almost a million times. If we capture all that energy and take it will us, we will become the richest beings in all of the stars."

"Why do you need the entire planet to do that?" She asked confusedly.

"Because Bella…" The Doctor explained. "If they take all the energy with their type of alien technology, it will stop the waterfall completely. And Fallitopia is dependent on the waterfall to keep running."

"What happens if the waterfall stops running?" She asked.

"The waterfall keeps the planet cool, which the Phiobians need to survive." The Doctor explained. "The waterfall is connected to the centre of this planet which is extremely hot. Basically, if the waterfall stops, the centre of the planet will become too hot and the whole world will burn up."

"With us on it?"

"Well, yes. I'm presuming they're going to fly off in their spaceship and leave us here to die."

"Correct." The leader said. "Now, we've got 30 minutes until the waterfall comes to life and you, Doctor, and your little friends are not going to get in the way!"

"Hey, I'm taller than him!" Bella complained.

"Send them to the cell with the other one!" He ordered. "And make sure there is no way they can get out."

The Doctor and Bella were dragged through several passage ways before they finally came across a very large metal door with no window. The Tyconerax opened it and chucked the Doctor and Bella inside so they landed face first on the floor. They then locked it again and left them there. The Doctor and Bella both stood up and saw Clara passed out on the other side of the small cell.

"Clara!" The Doctor wept, pulling her into his arms and kissing her head softly.

"Is she okay?!" Bella cried, sitting down next to where the Doctor was now knelt holding Clara's limp body.

"Yes, she's just been gagged. That must have been how they managed to kidnap her without us hearing."

Bella nodded. "Those…alien things. Why are they wearing hoods that cover their faces?"

"I don't know. I've never come across the Tyconerax before. However, I have come across a lot of enemies that wear black capes. It masks their identity."

"So, how do you suggest we get out of here?"

"Well…" He got out his sonic screwdriver. "The lock on the door is too strong." He sighed. "I need something hot to burn through it."

"Like fire?"

"Even a torch would do. I could boost the light with my screwdriver and scold the lock."

"I dropped mine when we were grabbed."

"So did I." The doctor mopped his brow. "We are in fact, right across the hall from the control room of the mechanism" He said as he walked around the room scanning it with his screwdriver. "If we could just get out of here we could shut the whole thing down…"

"Clara's torch…" Bella wondered. "Where is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"When they took her, she didn't drop it because it wasn't there in the woods. Which means, they either took it away which seems utterly pointless or…"

She rolled Clara over and pulled the torch out of her back pocket. "She still has it."

The Doctor grinned. "I really did underestimate your intelligence."

"I'm not just a pretty face."

The Doctor grabbed the torch, and with his sonic screwdriver burnt through the lock. Just as the door flew open, Clara opened her eyes and started coughing violently.

The Doctor rushed over and helped her up and she fell into his arms. "Oh Clara, I'm so, so sorry!"

"What...what happened? All I remember is these weird things grabbed me and then I…blacked out. Hey, why are you crying? I'm okay!" She reached forwards and wiped away the Doctor's tears before kissing him gently on the lips.

Bella did a pretend cough. "Um, excuse me? Doctor, I don't know if you remember this but we haven't got very long until this whole planet burns up!"

"What!?" Clara exclaimed.

"Oh yeah, probably should of mentioned that." He said. "The Tyconerax are going to burn up this entire planet in 25 minutes unless we destroy their waterpower systems before the waterfall comes to life…"

Clara's eyes widened. "Then what are we waiting for?"

-x-

The lock on the door of the control room was a lot weaker than that on the cell so the Doctor easily got it open with his screwdriver. They all ran quickly into the room before realising there was a Tyconerax guarding where the controls were to the main system. He started advancing quickly towards them.

"Oh shit." Bella said. "What the hell are we going to do now?"

"Is it really necessary to swear this often?" The Doctor complained.

"Really not the time for this conversation guys." Clara exclaimed as the 3 of them backed up towards the door. She then spotted a chair in the corner of the room and ran towards it.

"Clara, what are you doing!?" The Doctor yelled.

"Chairs are useful!" She said. Clara picked the chair up above her head and ran towards the Tyconerax, battering it to the ground and knocking it out.

"When did you become so violent?" Bella gawped.

"When our lives depended on it… Quickly Doctor, shut it down so we can get out of here!"

He ran up to the control system. It was a large computer screen surrounded by several buttons, controls and a keyboard. He fiercely began typing but nothing seemed to be working.

"It's on lockdown, I can't turn it off!" He said.

Bella grabbed the chair. "Well, let's see if this works…" She rammed the chair into the main console which suddenly caused a lot of sparks and load alarms.

*System failure. Self-destruct commencing in 100 seconds.*

"Bella!" The Doctor and Clara screamed.

"No time to hang around, run!" She yelled.

The Doctor grabbed Clara's hand and the 3 of them ran out the control room.

"Quick, let's take the back exit; they'll catch us if we go out the way we came." The Doctor instructed.

They reached the end of the passage where there was another secret trap door in the ceiling. The Doctor forced it open and helped Bella and Clara climb out. They then reached down and pulled him out, before the 3 of them ran into the woods as fast as the possibly could.

"Five…" The Doctor counted. "Four, three, two…"

A huge explosion caused the ground to shake and the 3 of them to fall to the floor. They got up and turned round to see the mountain on fire with smoke pouring out of it. The 3 of stood and stared in silence for a minute.

Clara hugged the Doctor tightly. "Are we safe now?"

"I should think so. They probably all died in the explosion...wouldn't of had time to get out. Well, at least the wind mechanism was definitely destroyed. So I'd say the planet is now safe which means the thousands of Phiobian lives are too."

Bella did another pretend cough.

"Oh yes, and thank you Bella, for saving our lives." He continued. "I hate to say this, but we probably all would have died without you."

They both laughed. "What is it with you guys anyway?" Clara asked. "Why are you always arguing?"

"He's annoying."

"She always insults me!"

Clara rolled her eyes. "Come on, I think we need to go and inform Missibo on why Bella just blew up a mountain."

-x-

When they got back, the whole tribe gathered round the 3 of them and made the Doctor give a explanation on what happened.

"The beautiful lady saved us!" Missibo shouted. "You will forever be the saviour of Fallitopia. And for that, I award you with the most precious item."

He placed a necklace around her neck on top of the garland she was still wearing. "The stone in the charm is magic." He said. "It will always bring you good luck."

All of a sudden the sceptical started, and the waterfall came to life. It was beautiful. The water danced in patterns that were magical and turned every colour of the rainbow. The rocks around it became diamond and sparkled so bright you had to shadow your eyes. It drew you in, this indescribable scene and truly was the most beautiful thing to witness in the entire universe.

After it had finished, the 3 of them went back to the Tardis.

"I am totally knackered." Bella said yawning.

"So am I." Clara agreed.

The Doctor flew the Tardis back to the Maitland house. "You've been gone a few hours. Same day, 21st of April 2013, back in your front garden."

Bella opened the door. "Wow, it seems so bright outside after being in the dark so long."

She walked to the front door of the house. "I'll be back, I really need the toilet!"

"I do have toilets in the Tardis you know!" The Doctor called, but she was already inside the house.

Clara laughed. "You know what I can't get over?"

"What?"

"Bella Scott, saving an entire world."

The Doctor laughed too. "Well, yes, that was a remarkable sight." He reached forwards and held her hands. "But hey, she couldn't have done it without you." He kissed her passionately and she kissed him back, before he pulled her into a hug and held her close.

"I thought I'd lost you today." He whispered. "Which is why…"

"Why what?"

"I know you'll probably decline because you have the Maitland's to look after but...I want you to move into the Tardis with me… full time."

She looked into his eyes and smiled. "Really?"

"Yes really. I always want you by my side Clara."

She sighed. "I don't know if I can…"

"It's okay I know you have the children…"

"No, no." She interrupted. "Actually, Mr Maitland and I have been talking. He said now that Angie has started high school, he doesn't think I'm really needed anymore…so I should go out and live my life."

"That's brilliant…so why can't you come?"

"I now have a Bella Scott to look after." She chuckled. "She has nowhere to live, I can't just abandon her."

"What happened to her family?"

"Her Dad and his family have never been around. Her Mum kept abandoning her when she was little. She stayed with us for a few years and then went back to her Mum. But then she got put into foster care because her Mum let her down again. I don't think they've spoken since. Plus she's just returned from travelling so she doesn't have a job and has no money for a flat."

"I see." The Doctor said thoughtfully. "Then why doesn't she come with us?"

"Really? You're full of surprises…I thought you didn't like her?"

"Mm…I can set up a room for her the other side of the Tardis. She can be…our pet."

Clara burst out laughing. "Don't let her hear you say that, she'll slap you one!"

"That wouldn't be the first time today…"

Clara raised her eyebrows. "You really need to fill me in on what happened."

"That girl can be a lot of trouble."

"Yet you still don't mind her coming with us?"

He ran his hands through her hair and tucked strands behind her ears. "Clara, if I've learnt anything today, it's that Bella really cares about you. And I can see that you really care about her too. So if it makes you happy, then no, I don't mind."

Clara smiled. "Well then, it looks like it's just going to be us 3. The time travelling trio."


	4. Moving In Means Moving Out

**The Time Travelling Trio: Chapter 4**

**Moving In Means Moving Out**

*A/N: Just a short chapter on what happened when Clara and Bella moved into the TARDIS, the next chapter should be on shortly :) Happy reading x*

"Oi, space boy, help me lift this box!" Bella commanded.

The Doctor, Clara and Bella were standing in the middle of Clara's bedroom sorting out a large pile of cardboard boxes. The room was empty apart from the boxes, and as Mr Maitland was at work, the TARDIS was parked in her bedroom too.

"You could at least say please!" The Doctor muttered. He grabbed the box off of Bella but then lost his balance because it weighed more than he expected. The girls both laughed as he stumbled to the floor.

"Okay, yes, very funny." The Doctor got up and sighed before carrying the box into the TARDIS and down to his and Clara's bedroom.

Today Clara and Bella were moving out of the Maitland's and into the TARDIS with the Doctor. All week the women had spent packing Clara's things and the Doctor had been preparing a room for Bella.

When the Doctor was out of sight, Clara silently walked up to her bedroom window and ran her fingers across the dust on the windowsill.

Bella followed her. "You're going to really miss this place."

Bella didn't need to ask if she would. She could see it in Clara's eyes. Clara had been quiet all morning, daydreaming more than usual and ignoring the Doctor and Bella's arguments instead of trying to break them up.

Clara just nodded. Bella knew it was her way of trying not to show how sad she was that she was leaving. Of course, Clara wanted more than anything to move in with the man that she loved and travel the universe with her 2 best friends. But she was going to miss the house, the job and most importantly the family she'd been looking after these past 2 years. She didn't want the Doctor to see how sad she was on what was supposed to be one of the most exciting days of their lives.

Bella pulled Clara into a hug and Clara let a few sobs leave her chest.

"I want to go, but I'm going to miss them so much. They've become like family to me and-"

"I understand."

In that moment Clara was so glad Bella was there. Someone who just understood how she felt and could help her not to feel guilty about it.

The Doctor remerged from the TARDIS and walked into the room.

"Hey…guys, what's with the hugging?" He asked nervously.

They broke away from the hug and Bella looked up at the Doctor and smirked.

"Gosh Doctor, she's not just yours you know, other people are allowed to hug her as well!"

The Doctor blushed and fiddled with his bowtie. "Yes…well…um…I was just asking."

Bella rolled her eyes and picked up one of the lighter boxes before disappearing into the TARDIS with it. Clara picked up a box as well but the Doctor stopped her from going in.

"Clara, is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything's fine." She said smiling at up him. He let an expression fall on his face that showed he wasn't certain.

"Hey, look, Bella and I were just talking about stuff. Now let me through, your big chin is blocking the doorway!" she teased.

The Doctor chuckled and let her through, patting her bottom as she walked past. Clara spun round and raised her eyebrows with a sneer on her face before walking away and laughing too.

-x-

It took most of the day to move all the boxes into the TARDIS and unpack their things. Bella was trying to customise her room by filling it with the things she'd retrieved from storage units she had put away before her trip. Clara was getting used to the Doctor's big bedroom, adding little ornaments and photo frames to give it her touch.

The Doctor was sat on the end of their bed watching her. He smiled every time Clara straightened a painting on his wall or studied a Galifrayan book. He stood up and walked up to Clara and gave her a hug from behind. She turned around and he kissed her passionately on the lips. They stood there for a minute kissing and the Doctor tried to take off Clara's jacket.

She started giggling so pulled away from the kissing and raised her eyebrows again. "Someone's eager!"

The Doctor turned bright red. "Wait…no…I…you looked like you were over heating in your jacket…so-"

Clara started laughing and kissed him again, but they broke apart with the sound of extremely loud dubstep music filling the whole of the TARDIS.

"What the hell is going on!?" Clara screamed over the music holding her hands over her ears.

The Doctor muttered "Bella" under his breath and ran out of the bedroom with Clara following close behind him. They walked into the console room to see Bella fiddling around with the music player.

The Doctor switched it off and sighed.

"I didn't know dubstep was your style Doctor." Bella grinned .

"It's not!" He exclaimed. "What were you doing?"

"I was trying to play some music but your box went all weird on me and wouldn't switch it off!"

"She doesn't like you." The Doctor murmured.

"Who doesn't?"

"The TARDIS." Clara replied. "She doesn't like me much either."

The Doctor sighed. "Okay, if you're going to live here Bella we're going to need some rules. Because I can't have you wondering around the console fiddling with things which could be dangerous and getting us all into trouble."

"Why do you say this to me and not to Clara?"

"Because I trust Clara and I most definitely do not trust you!"

Clara smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Firstly, no touching the console unless I say so. That means no buttons, no leavers, no nothing. Understood?"

Bella sighed and nodded.

"Secondly, no going into any rooms that have a red light above the door."

"Why not?" Bella asked suspiciously. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

"No no no!" He exclaimed. "It's just that this TARDIS holds some of the most precious and most dangerous things in the entire universe. Red means danger, so if you really need to go in there you ask me!"

Bella sighed again. "Anything else?"

"Well, no making a mess, no loud music, no weapons and no pets!"

Clara laughed at how bossy he was being.

"Is that it?" Bella asked, walking out the front doors of the Tardis and back into Clara's bedroom where they were still parked.

"Well…yes. And of course the rule that already stands…but you keep breaking it anyway…When we're on an alien planet-"

"Yeah, yeah no wondering off." Bella finished his sentence. She looked out of Clara's window and turned back to face them. "You may want to get your grumpy box out of here though, because Mr Maitland just got home."

-x-

Mr Maitland walked into the house with Angie and Artie who he had just picked up from school. The Doctor relocated the TARDIS and Clara and Bella walked downstairs.

"How was school?" Clara asked the two children.

Angie shrugged and walked into the living room.

"It was quite interesting actually." Artie answered. "We were learning all about dinosaurs in science."

He followed Angie into the living room leaving the 3 of them in the hall.

"When are you leaving?" Mr Maitland asked.

"Probably in about half an hour." Clara answered. "I wanted to wait until you all got home so I could say goodbye properly. The Doc- I mean John has just gone to the new house with the last of the boxes. He'll be back soon."

They all gathered into the living room when the Doctor got back so Clara could say her goodbyes.

"We've enjoyed having you so much Clara, thank you." Mr Maitland said. "And Bella, we've enjoyed having you here too the past few weeks."

"Thank you for taking me in." Bella replied.

"Um, guys, do you mind if I say goodbye to the family on my own? I'll meet you at the TAR-I mean car in a minute." Clara said. Bella and the Doctor said their goodbyes and left the house. The Doctor walked to the end of the road to where he had parked the TARDIS but Bella waited outside the front door. The Doctor rolled his eyes thinking that she was spying on them.

-x-

"I can't believe these 2 years are over already." Clara said to the family. "I've loved staying here with you and I wanted to let you know that you'll always be like family to me…" Her eyes became watery but the children said nothing.

Mr Maitland gave Clara a hug. "We'll miss you dearly Clara. If you want to come back at anytime, be my guest. We'd love for you and the Doctor to come for dinner once you've settled in to your new home."

Clara nodded. "Thank you."

She walked up to Angie and Artie who were being astonishingly quiet.

"I'm going to miss you guys so much, remember you can always call me if you want to chat or anything. Or…if you just want to meet up, it's fine."  
They both nodded. Clara gave them each a hug, but was disappointed when they didn't say much back.

They stood in an awkward silence for a minute

"I suppose I should get going then. Goodbye all of you. See you soon." Clara walked out of the living room and into the hallway, only Mr Maitland followed her out.

"The reason they're not saying much is because they're sad you're leaving but they don't want to show it." He sighed.

"I know. I just wish I'd got something back." Her voice began to croak. "Anyway, see you soon and good luck with the kids. But I'm sure you'll do a great job on your own."

He smiled and hugged her again. "Goodbye, Clara."

When Clara left the house she wasn't at all surprised to see Bella sitting on the garden wall. Clara's eyes were red and she hugged Bella tightly.

"I don't want to leave but I do… I can't believe I'm letting myself get upset. Both the kids were so quiet when I said goodbye so I didn't want to be sad in front of them. I don't want the Doctor to see me and think that he's the one making me upset either." She sighed and let go of Bella. "Thanks for waiting."

"Well, I wasn't exactly going to do what you to told me to was I?"

They both laughed and walked back to the TARDIS to where the Doctor was waiting inside the doors for them. He saw the trace of tear stains on Clara's cheeks and realised that the reason she'd sent them out was because she didn't want them to see her get upset. It then occurred to him why Bella had stayed outside the Maitland's front door waiting for her. He felt stupid but he didn't want to bring it up and upset her again now.

"So…" He said, running up to the console and spinning around. "I've got a brilliant idea of where to go to for dinner, are you both hungry?"

"Starving." They both agreed.

"Then let's go."


	5. Unfinished Dinner Business

**The Time Travelling Trio: Chapter 5**

**Unfinished Dinner Business**

"China, year 9076, Earth 2, which has the finest cuisine in the universe!" The Doctor sung as he lept out of the TARDIS and onto the busy modern streets of Beijing.

"Wait a sec, did you say 'Earth 2'?" Clara asked.

"Oh, well, yes. There is more than one version of Earth in this universe in the future, Clara. When main Earth got too overcrowded they created another. It has exactly the same countries and structure as your Earth."

"Why create a second Earth?" Bella asked. "Ours is so boring and useless, why create another one?"

The Doctor sighed. "Oh Bella Bella Bella." He found it strange how nice her name sounded as it rolled off his tongue. "Earth is the perfect habitat for you human's to live on. Full of television and forests to destroy and…chips!"

Bella looked at him confusedly. "So why bring us to 'Earth 2' if it's the same as our Earth?"

"Because…" The Doctor called as he started running down the street, Clara and Bella hurrying to catch up with him. "This Earth is home to the most brilliant, the best and the largest Chinese restaurant ever!" He turned a corner and held open his arms to reveal a massive Chinese restaurant before them. The only thing separating them and the restaurant however was an extremely large queue to get in.

"That's one hell of a queue." Clara said.

"Yeah, nice one alien boy… we're going to have to wait here all day just to get in." Bella groaned.

"Excuse me ladies, I do have a plan."

The Doctor led them both to the front of the queue, flashed his psychic paper and the door man let them in immediately. The Doctor gave Bella a smirk.

"Oh look whose Mr Important! Did you have a fling with the door man just to get that club card?" Bella teased.

The Doctor glared at her. Before he started lecturing Bella on her insolence Clara jumped in between them. "It's psychic paper, it tells them whatever they want to see and lets us into places." She explained. They spotted a free table and began to walk towards it.

"Mm, that could be very useful, you're going to have to get me some of that Doc." Bella said with her eyebrows raised. The Doctor glared at Bella again, not at all found of her calling him 'Doc' this often.

"You'd be the last person I've ever dream of giving this to Bella! It could be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands!" The Doctor exclaimed.

Bella chuckled. "Oh no! I could give myself a paper cut!"

Clara and Bella burst out laughing as they sat down at one side of the table and the Doctor sat down opposite.

"Clara!" The Doctor moaned. "Don't encourage her!"

"Okay, okay." Clara sighed. "Can I have the psychic paper?"

"My psychic paper, right now?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"No reason, don't you trust me with it?" Clara's eyebrows rose as Bella's had done before. But instead of in an intimidating way, in more of a challenging sense. The Doctor grumbled and handed it over, and Clara tucked it into her jacket pocket.

"It's a buffet, as soon as they give us our plates we can go and get some food." He said. "But I'll be back in a moment, I just have to um…go and use the little boy's room."

The Doctor skipped off and left the women alone.

Bella shook her head. "Out of all the boyfriends you've had…and there's been a lot…" Clara playfully knocked her arm and laughed. "He's got to be the strangest."

Clara sighed. "No, not strange. Unusual. But I like unusual. Who wants a boring guy when you can have a brilliant, slightly eccentric be it, lovely man like him?"

Bella thought for a moment. "He's certainly smitten with you."

Clara felt herself blushing. "Do you think so?"

"Are you blind or something? He's head over heels for you Clar! He can't stop gazing at your or touching your hands or your face or kissing you…"

Bella stopped. Clara was fiddling with the necklace she had on, not looking too sure of herself. Bella instantly knew there was something else occupying Clara thoughts on top of leaving the Maitland's.

"Spill." Bella said.

"It's just…I know I'm stupid for thinking this…but I'm scared that he only began loving me because of what I did for him in Trenzalore. Not because of who I am, what I did. And I'm scared that maybe soon he's going to get bored of me and stop loving me and…" She ran out of words to say because tears pricked in her eyes. "We don't talk about Trenzalore anymore. I'd feel uncomfortable bringing all this up."

Bella stroked her arm comfortingly before sighing. "Okay firstly, you are stupid."

This made Clara laugh again as she blinked to get rid of her watery eyes.

"Look, I know I only met him post this whole Trenza-thingy…but it's so clear he really loves you and has done for a long time. He'd do anything for you Clara and he will never ever get bored of you. The truth is… I wish any guy I've ever dated looked at me the way he looks at you. Like he's totally in love."

Clara grinned. "Jealous are we?"

"Urgh, of Chin Boy? Definitely not my type!"

A waiter came over and gave them their plates for the buffet. Bella eyed him up as he walked away. "Him however…mm…maybe a little my type." Clara burst out laughing yet again and Bella pulled her by the arm so that they could follow the man to the buffet area.

"But we should wait for the Doctor…" Clara protested.

"Oh he'll catch us up…it's his own fault for taking so long to go for a piss anyway!"

-x-

The women returned to the table from the buffet with their plates piled high with food. When they sat down Clara was worried to see that the Doctor's plate still remained untouched on the table. He couldn't possibly still be in the toilet, could he?

Clara's thoughts were interrupted by Bella's blabbing.

"How large do you think my phone bill would be if I called this number from my mobile?"

"Huh?" Clara asked confusedly.

Bella rolled her eyes. "The waiter, Chen, gave me his number. I'm sure if I called him or even texted him from my phone the bill would be massive. I mean have you seen how amazing their mobiles are now? My iPhone looks like a brick compared to what they've got. Wait, will I even be able to call him from a phone that's from a different planet that is now 7000 years out of date?"

"The Doctor's not here."

"What?" Bella mumbled through a mouthful of food. "Clar, you've got to try these duck things, they taste amazing..."

"The Doctor is still not back from the toilet!"

Her eyes widened suddenly when she realised what Clara was saying. Bella glanced around the room then leaned forwards towards her.

"Do you have this weird feeling…" Bella whispered. "That we're being watched?"

Clara felt a shiver down her spine but wasn't sure. "Either the Doctor has gone searching for something, or something has caught the Doctor…"

"That or he's incredibly constipated…"

Clara scowled at Bella. "Not the time for jokes. Come on." She stood up and pulled Bella by her jumper. "We need to find the Doctor!"

"But I've only just started my food!"

"Then bring it with you! Come on, quickly!"

They ran through the extremely busy restaurant to the toilets on the other side of the building. Bella was still clutching at her plate whilst eating a prawn toast as they ran. They finally reached the men's toilets.

Clara knocked on the door. "Doctor, are you in there?"

There was no reply.

"Doctor!" Clara shouted over the noisy restaurant. "You've been in there a very long time!"

Bella sighed and handed Clara her plate.

"Bella, what are you doing?"

Bella opened the door and walked into the men's toilets.

"Bella! You can't go in there! You're a woman!"

"I'm very aware of that you know."

Bella was met with some very shocked stares from several men at the urinals. She went over to the cubicles and checked inside each of them, but they were both empty. She left the toilets and went outside to where Clara shoved her plate back to her. "Well?"

"He's not in there. So what do we do now?"

The women both spun round as they felt an unfamiliar figure behind them.

"Miss Oswald and Miss Scott. I think you need to come with me."

-x-

Of course, they both refused. It was a tall mysterious man that was wearing a black tux and dark sunglasses. He seemed to have superhuman strength as he grabbed the women by their collars causing Bella to drop her plate. The man dragged them through a door opposite the men's toilets. Fortunately for him, there was no one else around to see.

They both started screaming.

"Be quiet!" He demanded.

"Get off me you bastard! You do not handle women like that!" Bella yelled.

The man locked the door and let them go. They were in a small cramped room that was pitch black, but he then turned on the light. They both looked around.

"Why have you brought us into a cleaner's cupboard?" Clara asked.

"I said quiet!" He shouted.

"I think the question is why the fuck did he grab us like that!" Bella exclaimed.

"Bella!" Clara murmured, continuing to ignore the man's instructions. She had always felt uncomfortable when Bella swore.

The man was about to shout again but Bella lifted up her arm to slap him across the face. She was about to hit him but the man was too quick for her and grasped Bella's wrist tightly.

"Ouch!" Bella exclaimed, struggling to get her wrist free. The man grabbed her other wrist too and Bella tried to kick his legs but failed as he was holding her back.

His hands tightened and Bella's voice became more innocent. "Please let go, that really hurts." The man's extreme strength was putting Bella in agony but she was trying not to show how much pain she was in. "Ow, ow, what are you doing? OWW!"

Clara saw this and tried to pull his hands off her desperately "Please! Let her go! You're hurting her!"

The man just laughed at Clara's attempt.

"Let her go!" Clara screamed before slapping him hard across the face herself. The man dropped Bella's wrists in shock and she landed on the floor. He grabbed his cheek and rubbed it angrily. Clara was in shock herself. It took her a moment to realise that she had actually hit him. She helped Bella off the floor and gave her a hug.

"He did say you were feisty women. I didn't want to grab you like that but you gave me no choice as you were being so hysterical and loud. Now, let's have a proper conversation shall we?"

Bella straightened up. Clara picked up her hands and examined Bella's wrists. They had some large purpley-black bruises around them and when Clara stroked them Bella winced in pain. Bella was stunned that he had been so aggressive towards her and became awfully quiet.

"That gave you no excuse to hurt her like that! She's an innocent young woman!"

"I thought she may be armed."

Clara shook her head. "Who are you? Too strong to be human… And what do you mean 'he' said we were feisty women?!"

"I am Feng Dai and you're partly right, I am an elite super human. I have the Doctor locked up. And he will stay there unless you do as I say."

"Why have you got him?" Clara questioned again.

"Because, well. Let's say I've met the Doctor before and we had a little bit of…unfinished business."

"Unfinished business?"

"Last time I met the Doctor, I was getting some… cash off a man. He 'saved' that man with means I no longer have my cash. And that means payback."

"I'm sure the Doctor can get you the money himself…"

"When I say cash, I mean a…priceless object. It's incredibly precious and I need it back. The Doctor won't get it for me so you two will."

"And what makes you think we'll do that?" Clara asked, hands on her hips furiously.

The man walked towards her and intimidatingly tapped her little nose. Clara scowled at him.

"Because if you don't, I'll kill your boyfriend. And don't think I'm bluffing because I've done this all before."

Clara gasped and tears pricked in her eyes.

"So what's it going to be Miss Oswald? You do me a favour and you'll get your dear Doctor back. Deal?"

"Who do you think you are? The fucking Chinese mafia?" Bella smirked.

"Something like that, yes."

Bella and Clara swallowed.

"So what do you want us to do?" Clara asked.

"Clara! We're not actually going through with this are we?"

"Actually, I've changed my mind about that. Just Miss Oswald will do this for me." Feng Dai turned to Clara. "Miss Scott is too unreliable, rude and likely to ruin the mission. You care deeply about the Doctor dying and she does not. Also, her wrists are probably broken or sprained. She's no use."

"Thanks." Bella said sarcastically. "What are you going to do with me then? Stick me in the garbage?"

He laughed. "You, will be locked up with the Doctor. The stakes have become higher Miss Oswald. If you do not complete the mission, Miss Scott dies too."

"Oh, brilliant…" Bella groaned.

Clara bit her lip nervously trying to fight back her tears. She couldn't let her two best friends die.

"Deal. So, what do you want me to do?"

-x-

Another man in the same attire came to the cupboard and blindfolded Bella, taking her away. When the blindfold finally came off and she was released, Bella realised that she was in a cell in a damp cellar. The door had a large amount of indestructible locks and a large glass window. The man who had just thrown her in there was now on the other side of it, talking to another unfamiliar man. Bella couldn't hear what they were saying. One of the men pointed at her and she gave them her middle finger. The men scowled and walked away from the window.

"Mm! Mm!"

Bella frowned and turned around to see the Doctor tied up to a chair in the back corner of the cell with a bound round his mouth. She tried to untie him but her wrists were too weak and she was in a lot of pain. Bella didn't want the Doctor to see her as weak but every time she moved her hands she winced and gasped. They were starting to hurt more and more every second. The Doctor realised her agony and his face softened. With his head he gestured towards his pocket.

"Mm! Mm!"

"You what Doctor?"

"SonMm…ScreMmMm!"

"Oh, your stick thingy."

He rolled his eyes. She reached into his pocket and took out his screwdriver. Bella then soniced the bound around his mouth and it fell off into his lap.

"Ah! Ah! That hurts your jaw after a while!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"That hurts your jaw!? How do you think I fricking feel?!" Bella yelled, gesturing towards her wrists.

"Oh, _oh. _Yes, I'm sorry, finish untying me and I will help make the pain more bearable for you."

At that Bella quickly soniced the rest of his ropes and then dropped the screwdriver on the floor as even the weight of that was becoming too much for her. She knelt on the floor and groaned.

The Doctor jumped down from the chair and knelt beside her. "May I?" He asked.

Bella nodded, allowing him to hold her wrists. He held them gently and examined the wounds as Clara did. She squeezed her eyes shut as the lightest touch was so excruciating.

"Wow, they're broken. You're coping with the pain very well." He looked up to see her face and felt awfully guilty for bringing them here. She wasn't allowing herself to show how much pain she was really in. "You don't have to be the hard girl all the time Bella. You are allowed to cry every now and then."

Bella opened her eyes and glared at him. "Just…" She no longer had the energy to shout at The Doctor. "…Help me."

He adjusted the settings on his screwdriver and soniced her wrists. The pain became more bearable but her wrists were still purple and limp.

"I'm sorry, I can't help the breaks until we get back to the TARDIS, but that should help with the pain relief for a while."

Bella sighed. "It's my own fault for trying to hit him really."

"You tried to hit him? Tell me everything that happened!"

"Well when you swanned off we went looking for you. I had to go into the men's toilets by the way which was not a nice experience. Anyway, that Feng Dai guy grabbed us and pulled us into a cleaner's cupboard. Clara and I started shouting at him then I tried to slap him but he grabbed my wrists and squeezed so tight I…" She swallowed. "I couldn't cope. I felt them snap but I tried not to worry Clara. Then she went mental and slapped him so he let go of me-"

"He didn't hurt her did he!?" The Doctor growled, his eyes darkening. "Because if he did I swear I will-"

"No, no he didn't lay a finger on her. Anyway, He said he wanted us to get a precious item for him because you wouldn't get it. If we didn't, he said he would kill you. Then he changed his mind as he realised I wouldn't be of any use with my wrists like this. That's when we found out he was superhuman actually… So now I'm here and he's going to kill me too if Clara doesn't get this thing…"

"Is she going to do it?" The Doctor queried, a lump in his throat and tears pricking in his eyes.

"Yeah, why do you think we're still alive wonder boy?"

"Did you hear anything about what they're making her do?" His voice was shaky and Bella began to get worried.

"Um, a little. Something about breaking into the High Hill Plaza…"

The Doctor got up and banged his fists against the cell door in rage, shocking Bella. He had tears running down his cheeks.

"Doctor…what's wrong? What's so bad about that place?"

He turned around to face Bella with his head in his hands. "Why do you think they're making her go there when they could just break in themselves? It's deadly Bella. They're not breaking into a human's building. It's owned by savages, deadly monsters. The owner of the item, Yong, who the men were going to kill the last time I met them left it there so they could never go in and get it!"

Bella shook her head. "But then why do they think that Clara has a chance? And if they want it so much, why not just give it to them in the first place?"

The Doctor sighed and sat back down next to Bella. "They're too scared to go themselves so they're making Clara go in. Once she dies they'll make me try and then you. They are just throwing prisoners in there to try and get it for them, at any cost."

"But what is it and why are you trying to stop them from having it!?"

"It's a diamond. Huge, priceless and alien. It's from the plant Rastroyunia. The reason I don't want them to have it, is because if they do get their hands on it, they will use it to try and destroy main Earth."

"Okay, how does a diamond destroy Earth and why do they even want to?"

"They have this…machine gun. The diamond's like… a key. Once put inside, the gun is powerful enough, when shot across this solar system, to blast main Earth into a million pieces. With all its inhabitants on it."

"Why do they want to destroy main Earth?"

"It's hard to explain, but the Earth's are at war. The super human's versus you normal ones. They will do anything to wipe out the other planet. These men are like the secret services of this Earth. They are in charge of getting the diamond."

"How did Yong even get the Diamond and why didn't he destroy it?"

"His grandfather invented the gun. The diamond was from when his grandfather went travelling to Rastroyunia and was used as the key as nobody else has one. Rastroyunia got swallowed up by a black hole so they can't get another. Then gun's massive, by the way, located right under Beijing. He was a member of the secret services. But Yong is a peacemaker, and when his grandfather died, he stole the diamond. He tried to destroy it but he couldn't, it's almost indestructible. Like the Plaza, impossible to blow up. He hid it there and escaped before the Hoonanaki, the savages, invaded the Plaza. They were trained and sent by main Earth to guard the diamond so no one reaches it. Anybody who goes in, dead. Earth is trying to make peace but they had to do that to save themselves."

"Anybody who goes in is dead?" Bella asked thoughtfully.

"Yes. I've done it again. I said I'd keep her save but I've killed Clara again..." Tears trickled down his cheeks. "This is all my fault, I should have checked the time period to make sure there were no wars or secret serv-"

"Shut up a second." Bella interrupted. "These Hoonanaki are trained by Earth, so normal Earth humans I'm guessing…"

The Doctor wept. "Bella, Clara is going to die! We can't get out of this cell, it's locked tight and surrounded with guards. There is nothing we can d-"

"Seriously Doctor I'm going to slap you in a minute. If these Hoonanaki are trained by normal main Earth humans, they obviously don't kill main Earth humans. And where is Clara from?"

The Doctor looked up at her and smiled. "Main Earth! Yes! Bella I could kiss you!"

"Ew! Please don't."

"Don't worry, not planning on it. But this means Clara will get the diamond…and Earth will be destroyed."

They sat thoughtfully for a minute.

"Not unless we can get in contact with Clara, and find some way for her to destroy it…" Bella said.

"But then they'll kill us. Clara wouldn't do anything that would risk our safety. If we could just get back to the TARDIS, I could fly to the Plaza and get her and the diamond out of there so nobody gets killed."

"Well then." Bella grinned. "It's a good job I've just thought of a plan."

-x-

"I can't believe we're using your plan." The Doctor grumbled. "I'm always the plan thinker!"

"Oh just shut up and go along with it alien boy." Bella argued.

Bella let out a high pitched scream, pretending her wrists were in extreme agony again.

The Doctor began banging on the door and the guard that was watching their cell came over and opened the window.

"What is it?" The guard grumbled.

Bella screamed again.

"Please, she's in a lot of pain, can you get her some painkillers or something?" The Doctor asked.

Bella continued to scream and the guard sighed. "I'll go upstairs and see if we have any pain relief."

The guard walked up the cellar stairs, leaving the cell window open.

"Great…" The Doctor mumbled. "We thought he would leave the door open, not the window. We won't be able to fit through there."

Bella studied the window frame before launching herself through it and getting stuck. "Oi, Doc, push me through, I'm stuck!"

"Well that was a stupid idea wasn't it?" The Doctor grumbled whilst trying to push Bella through the window frame. There was suddenly a pop and she fell through the window onto the other side of the door.

"Ow, I landed on my wrists!" Bella cried.

The Doctor laughed. "Maybe if your bum wasn't so big you would have fit through there with no problem."

Bella did not see the funny side. "Are you asking for a slap?"

"Can we argue later? Please open the door; we won't have much time until the guard gets back!"

Bella unlocked the cell door and the Doctor ran out. Over by the staircase there was a desk next to the chair where the guard had been sitting. The Doctor picked up the stun gun the guard had left lying on the table but Bella snatched it off him.

"You're too much of a softy to sport a gun." She teased. "It doesn't suit you. Me however…" She pointed the gun at him mockingly. The Doctor tried to snatch it back off her but she ran up the stair case. The stairs ended at a long corridor which looked very similar to the one with the men's toilets and the cleaner's cupboard.

"Are we still in the restaurant?" Bella asked.

"Yes. This place is absolutely massive Bella, all they did was lock us up down in the basement."

Suddenly from a room further down the corridor, the guard reappeared with a first aid kit.

"Hey! How did you get out!?" He yelled as he ran towards them. Bella shot him with the stun gun and he fell to the floor and they ran past him further down the corridor. The man got up and started chasing them again. "The stun gun doesn't fully work on superhuman's you idiots!" He called.

"Oh shit." Bella cursed as she ran. "What are we going to do now?"

They turned a corner and Bella saw the door to the women's toilets and pulled the Doctor inside.

"Bella! Let me go! What are you doing?!"

"Hiding!" She exclaimed as they quickly ran into a cubicle.

Bella locked the door and they both stood on top of the toilet. The Doctor glanced around the cubicle with a look of horror on his face.

Bella rolled her eyes. "I think we lost him."

Suddenly they heard the main door swing open and heavy footsteps against the tiles on the floor.

"Maybe not…" The Doctor whispered.

After a few minutes the footsteps stopped and they heard the door bang shut.

"Thank god." Bella sighed.

"Can we get out of here now?" The Doctor begged. "This cubicle makes me feel uncomfortable."

Bella chuckled. "Payback for making me go into the men's toilets earlier."

Bella opened the cubicle and they walked towards the toilet door. "Urg, I don't think I could've spent much longer in that tiny cubicle with you." Bella complained. "You're sweaty and you breathe like Darth Vader, god knows how Clara copes."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Bella, I do sometimes wonder if you have ever actually said something polite in your entire life."

She shrugged. "Probably not."

They opened the door and made sure the coast was clear before running down to the end of the corridor and heading out of the fire escape.

"Now what?" Bella panted.

"We get to the TARDIS, and we save Clara."

-x-

_Clara_

Once Bella had been blindfolded and taken away, Clara was taken through to the back entrance of the restaurant and forced into the backseat of a black car. The car started moving to the plaza.

"So what is this thing you want me to get for you? What does it look like?" Clara asked Feng Dai.

He was sitting in the passenger seat next to the driver. "It's a large diamond and it will be located somewhere on the third floor. That's all you need to know."

"So am I going in by myself?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Clara asked, leaning forward in her seat.

He ignored her question. "There are creatures living in the plaza that look after the diamond. You will have to find a way of stealing it without them noticing. The Plaza is very dark and has no electricity so you will need this torch." Feng Dai said, passing a torch to the backseat.

Clara flicked it on and off. "Creatures?" She asked nervously.

"We don't know who they are. All you've got to do Miss Oswald is find the diamond and get it back to us. Then we will let you and your friends go."

"But these…creatures. They could be dangerous?"

"Possibly."

She bit her lip again as the car drove up the large hill to High Hill Plaza. The car stopped outside the gates surrounding the incredibly large building. Feng Dai turned round and handed Clara a key.

"This is the key to get through the gates and the key to the front door. Remember the diamond is on the 3rd floor. You've got a maximum of 2 hours. Once you've got the diamond you come out with it immediately, understood?"

Clara nodded and was escorted out the car to the front gates. The men then went back to the car and she opened the lock with the key. Clara walked slowly up to the big front door. Her whole body was shaking and her legs felt like jelly. She had a nasty feeling whatever was behind that door was not going to be nice.

Clara slid the key into the lock of the door and it clicked open. She took a deep breath before opening it. When she did she slowly walked inside to a very large classy foyer. It was dark in the plaza so Clara turned on her torch and scanned the room with it but there didn't seem to be anything there. To the side of the foyer was a very large fancy stair case so she advanced towards it. But as Clara did, suddenly 5 savages charged towards her from out of no ware, completely surrounding her.

Clara screamed. "Please don't hurt me! I'm not armed!"

To her surprise, the Hoonanaki started to sniff her. They were the same height as her, with an armoured suit, a wrinkley head, massive black eyes, large notrils and a large mouth with lots of extremely sharp teeth. They seemed to be drooling. Clara was shaking violently and they saw the innocence in her eyes and stepped back.

"She's human." One of them growled. "Earth 1 human. She must have been sent here from Earth to tell us something."

Clara was very confused. Surely these monsters wanted to kill her? Why did it matter that she was 'Earth 1 human'? She decided all she needed to concentrate on doing was getting the diamond, so The Doctor and Bella could be freed.

"The Diamond." Clara stuttered. "Where is it?"

"Third floor, second room on the right. Why do you want to know?"

"Because… um…the leaders of Earth sent me here to retrieve it and take it to them." Clara lied, but from what they had said she guessed that's what they wanted to hear.

"How do we know she is telling the truth?" A different savage asked. "She could be a trick, or a trap."

Clara panicked. How could she convince them of her lie? It was then that Clara's hand holding the torch brushed against her jacket pocket. She grinned to herself as she remembered what was in there, The Doctor's psychic paper. She quickly pulled it out her pocket and held it up, hoping it would work.

The savages leaned in close to read the paper. Clara could feel their heavy panting against her hand.

"Oh, she's the president of Earth's secret service. We must let her through at once!"

Clara let out a sigh of relief. Using the psychic paper really had been a stab in the dark.

"Come on then." She commanded. "Take me to the diamond."

-x-

_The Doctor and Bella_

Meanwhile, The Doctor and Bella were making their way around the outside of the restaurant, trying to get away without being noticed. They had a feeling that there would be more guards on the look out, searching for them.

"Doctor…" Bella said as they walked. "These, 'secret service' guys are surely very important right?"

The Doctor nodded.

"Then why are they operating from a Chinese restaurant?"

He stopped and turned towards her, thinking of a reply.

"Well, this is one of the main attractions in China on this Earth. Some very important people come here Bella, it's easy for them to pray on people. This whole restaurant is owned by them."

"But why use a restaurant? And why do they have a prison cell in the basement?"

"I don't know." He admitted. "I suppose they have a habit of capturing people like us."

They began walking again, but Bella suddenly whispered. "Stop!" and the Doctor froze.

"What is it?" He grumbled.

"We're being watched."

"How do you know?"

"I can always sense it. Remember when we were in the forests in Fallitopia? I sensed it then. And earlier…me and Clara were on our own at the table and I felt Feng Dai watching us. I can just feel it."

The Doctor gave her a puzzled look. Of course, his mind was whirling at a hundred miles an hour. People can't just know that they are being watched. Yet Bella's predictions so far had been surprisingly accurate. The Doctor silently studied her. He had never felt comfortable in her presence. There was something about Bella Scott which made him anxious and her 6th sense was starting to make the Doctor feel even more so. Even though this could just be a coincidence, he couldn't help but feel that there was something about Bella Scott which wasn't quite...right. He made a mental note to check her later in the TARDIS.

"Where do you feel it coming from?" He asked, inquisitively.

She pointed futher down the side of the building. "Just around the corner, they are about to come down here. We have to go back."

_How did she know what they were about to do?_ The Doctor thought. Things Bella said never made him think before, but in the last few moments they had begun to make him very weary of her.

In front of them was a fence, going all the way around the edge of the restaurant. Bella put the gun in her back pocket and made one of the boards of it loose. She pulled the board across so there was a gap big enough for them to pass through. She crawled through the hole and gestured for him to come through too. But he didn't.

"What are you doing you idiot?! They'll see you!" Bella hissed.

The Doctor wasn't sure whether to trust her. He thought maybe he was thinking about this too much. Bella was right, at any moment the men could see him and they needed to go and save Clara. _Clara._

"Okay, I'm going to leave without you if you don't come right now."

_Clara trusted Bella_. So The Doctor guessed he would have to as well. He launched himself through the gap in the fence and pulled the board back across the gap. Before he knew it he and Bella were running through a tight alleyway, trying to get as far away from the restaurant as possible.

"Why did you pause?" Bella queried as they ran.

"I…was thinking."

She raised her eyebrows. "You don't trust me. And I don't blame you, I don't trust me much either. For example, I have no idea where we are going."

The Doctor led the way. They came to the end of the alley and back onto the street.

"The TARDIS is just round this corner!" He exclaimed.

The Doctor turned round to look at Bella, but she had frozen on the pavement. He frowned and walked over to her. She was staring at her mobile phone fearfully.

"Bella…now is not the time to be checking your texts."

"Someone's calling me."

"So? Ring them back later!"

"But…how can somebody be calling me? This is a different planet and this is an unknown number."

Then the Doctor froze also. He hadn't rejigged Bella's phone yet to allow calls over space and time. How was it ringing?

He took her phone from her and answered the call.

"We have your box surrounded. You have nowhere to run." A familiar voice answered and then hung up.

"Who was it?" Bella asked.

"Feng Dai. He's got men surrounding the TARDIS. How are we supposed to get to Clara and the diamond now?"

Bella peaked her head around the corner of a building on the street then turned back to the Doctor and gave him a worried look. "Yup, definitely surrounded."

She pulled the stun gun out of her back pocket. "If only this was a real gun…"

The Doctor snatched it off of her and got out his sonic screwdriver. "We can amplify it!" He exclaimed. "If we amplify it, we can stun them!"

Bella smiled but noticed the street they had parked the TARDIS on before that had been busy, was now empty.

"Where have all the people gone?"

"They've sent them away, which is perfect for us." The Doctor raised the gun in his hands preparing himself, but felt very awkward. He didn't like guns.

Bella snatched it off of him again and smirked. "I have better aim."

Before the 6 guards knew it, Bella had run down into the street and stunned them all within a few seconds. The Doctor walked onto the street after her, gobsmacked at her bravery. He tried not to show how impressed he was. They made their way around the stunned bodies and ran into the TARDIS. The Doctor flexed his arms over the controls. "I'm coming for you Clara."

-x-

_Clara_

Clara was lead up the stairs in the plaza by the savages. She was still nervous as she moved, scared that any second her cover would be blown. They finally reached the 3rd floor and the savages directed her into the room containing the diamond. They opened the door and showed her inside.

Clara's eyes met the diamond before anything else in the room. It was about the size of her head and was placed inside a glass box in the centre of the floor. The savages opened the box and handed it to her carefully. It was heavy so she had to put her torch in her pocket so she could use both hands. This consequently meant she was now with monsters in the dark.

"That sure is a one big rock." Clara admired. "I need to get it to the car outside."

However as she moved downstairs, the Hoonanaki followed her every step. When they were back in the foyer, she turned back to them. "I'm sorry, are you following me?"

"Yes." They replied. "Are you not taking us back to Earth with you?"

Clara froze, she really had not thought this plan through. The monsters opened the front door and at one sight realised who was in the car. They turned back to Clara with anger on their faces.

"Who are you? This is a trap!" They screamed.

Clara guessed what would happen next, they would kill her. So, with nothing to lose, she raced towards the car. The savages ran after her, but when she got outside of the gates she used the key to lock them up again. The savages were luckily just too slow and got trapped on the other side of the gate. They roared and banged against the lock in fury.

Clara was relieved, but not for long. When she turned back towards the car, Feng Dai and his driver were standing in front of the car with guns pointing directly at her. These looked a lot worse than stun guns.

"The Doctor and Miss Scott have escaped." Feng Dai walked closer to her. "Give us the diamond now or we will kill you."

Clara was about to hand it over but then instinct told her to step back. It occurred to her that she didn't even know why they wanted the diamond in the first place.

"Why do you want the diamond anyway?" She asked.

"Give us the diamond, Miss Oswald." Feng Dai ordered.

"Tell me!" Clara yelled.

"Oh, Miss Oswald. You are curious with all your questions, yet so naïve. Why do you think those savages didn't kill you in the first place?"

She shrugged.

"Because you are from main Earth. And we are at war with them. That diamond will help us win the war. You have saved us. Yet killed your own kind."

Clara shook her head. She didn't understand how a diamond could destroy the Earth. But, as she realised the Doctor and Bella were safe and it was now her own life at risk, Clara decided to try and run again. Bad decision. Feng Dai grabbed her and caught her in a headlock. Clara dropped the diamond and the Driver picked it up.

Feng Dai held his gun to Clara's head who was now shaking hysterically. "Well, I guess we are all done here aren't we?"

"No!" Clara exclaimed, trying to break free.

"You are no longer needed. This death should be quick so I guess that is your reward. Goodbye Miss Oswald."

"No!" Tears ran down Clara's cheeks and she squeezed her eyes shut. Clara could feel her whole life flash in front of her eyes in that moment. The Doctor, she'd never be able to see him again. She'd never be able to feel his strong arms around her or his tender kiss.

Clara expected to feel a shot through her head at any second. But when the shot came, it didn't come from Feng Dai's gun, nor the driver's.

Feng Dai released her and fell to the ground and when a second shot rang the driver fell down also, dropping the diamond. Clara opened her eyes, confused and disorientated. When she did, a blue police box on the other side of the road caught her eye and Clara realised what had happened. The Doctor was stood behind the car holding a gun, tears streaming down his face.

-x-

The Doctor had meant to land the TARDIS inside of the plaza but the old girl had refused.

"She won't let me land inside of the plaza." The Doctor muttered. "Which means we're going to have to park on the road of the high hill and find a way in."

"They're going to be waiting on the road for her though, aren't they?" Bella sighed.

"Yes, probably. That means you need to be ready to shoot them with the stun gun, I'm sure that Feng Dai will definitely be armed."

They landed on the road and The Doctor and Bella slowly opened the doors. What they saw was not what they were expecting. On the other side of the street outside of the gates, Feng Dai and an unfamiliar man had guns pointing at Clara and she was holding the diamond.

"Clar-" The Doctor began to yell, but Bella put her hand over his mouth.

"Shh, they haven't realised we're here yet. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves and get us or Clara killed. " Bella whispered.

The Doctor nodded. Clara must be about to hand over the diamond and then they would let her go. But that was not what happened.

Clara was pulled into a head lock and a gun was pointed to her head.

"Oh no, now what?!" Bella exclaimed. "Should I try and shoot-"

But before she could finish her sentence, the Doctor had grabbed the gun out of her hands, run out of the TARDIS and shot Feng Dai and the other man down. His eyes were red and wet and his whole body was shaking, adrenaline pumping through his veins. The Doctor never used guns. But when he saw the woman he loved in danger he didn't think twice. The Doctor couldn't trust Bella to make the shot. His only thoughts in that moment were _Clara._ _Anything to save Clara._

Clara opened her eyes and saw him there, holding the gun. The Doctor dropped it on the floor and ran towards Clara, scooping her into his arms. She held him tight and cried into his shoulder, creating tear stains on his purple coat. Clara could feel his strong arms around her which she had thought she would never feel again. The Doctor stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"Clara, my Clara." He cried. "I'm so sorry."

She broke away from the hug and he wiped the tears from her cheeks.

Clara smiled up at him in relief. "You saved my life."

The Doctor shook his head. "You saved mine like you always do. My beautiful, brave, impossible girl."

Clara felt his tender kiss on her lips and she felt safe once more. It was as if the 2 of them were in their own little world and they never wanted anything to break them apart ever again.

"Urm… guys…why are their 5 angry monsters trying to break through the gate?!"

Bella was now beside them, staring at the entrance to the Plaza.

The Doctor kept his arm tightly wrapped round Clara's shoulders but turned towards the gate himself.

"Well, we ought to give them their diamond back." He answered.

"But now the services know they don't attack normal humans, they'll just send more of us in and to get the diamond again." Bella replied.

The Doctor grabbed Clara's hand and walked close to the gate. Bella picked up the diamond from the floor.

"We are on your side." He announced. "I will take the diamond to a place no one will ever get their hands on it and make sure it gets destroyed. I will then call Earth and tell them to collect you, they owe me a favour."  
Clara raised her eyebrows.

"How can we trust you?" The Hoonanaki growled.

"That's the thing, you can't. But I'm afraid all I can do is promise you that."

He turned on his heel to go back to the TARDIS but Bella stopped him.

"What about tweedle dum and tweedle dee here?" Bella gestured towards the 2 men passed out on the ground.

"What about them?" He asked.

"Well, they're evil. Once we leave they'll going to continue killing more people! They almost killed Clara!"

"I know." He answered, rubbing the back of his neck. "But we can only hope whoever is in charge of them has some sort of punishment."

"But they deserve to die!"

The Doctor and Clara looked at each other nervously.

"We're better than them Bella." Clara said. "Killing is not what we do."

Bella sighed and shook her head. "I know, but they deserve- OW!"

She dropped the diamond on the ground and scrunched her eyes up in pain. The Doctor grabbed Bella's wrists and inspected them.

"We need to get you back to the TARDIS." He explained. "The pain relief has worn off and all this movement has not been good for the breaks in your wrists."

"Her wrists have been broken all this time and you haven't done anything about it?!" Clara exclaimed.

"Yes, well I'm very sorry Clara but all our attention was focused on saving you!"

Clara felt a bit guilty for being so harsh on him so picked up the diamond and the 3 of them walked back to the TARDIS. The Doctor got out a first aid kit and picked up a small machine that scanned over Bella's wrists to mend the breaks. He then wrapped bandage around her wrists for support.

Bella moved them around once he was done. "Not bad alien boy, not bad."

"Was that almost a compliment?" Clara teased.

"I guess it was."

-x-

Once the Doctor had disposed of the diamond and got rescue for the savages, he called the 2 women into the console room. They had been in their rooms getting some well-deserved rest.

"From now on, safe trips only!" The Doctor announced. "I have been careless and I apologise. From now on, only safe trips on safe planets!"

"Hmm, don't make promises you can't keep." Clara replied.

"I will do anything to keep you safe Clara."

Bella coughed.

"Oh yes, and you too." The Doctor mumbled.

"Anyway…" Bella said. "I'm starving, I only got to eat a little bit of my Chinese!"

"I got to eat nothing!" Clara complained.

"I think we've had enough travelling for today." The Doctor replied. "There should be something nice in the kitchen, fourth door on the left through there." He gestured towards the passageway.

The 2 woman began to walk towards it, but Clara turned back around. "Aren't you joining us Doctor?"

"Oh yes, I will in a minute, just got to sort out some timey-wimey-spacey stuff."

Clara frowned but didn't argue and left the room. She was right to be suspicious. The Doctor had reminded himself of the mental note he made himself earlier about Bella. After all that had happened since he made that note in the alleyway, he felt incredibly awkward about doing what he was about to do. However, he knew if he didn't, it would play on his mind for some time to come.

He took a deep breath. "A full information scan on Bella Scott. Everything about her. All her senses and her heritage. Everything."

The Doctor didn't feel right about doing this without her permission. He didn't like to find out things about people which he wasn't supposed to know. Yet he couldn't stop himself being curious this time. As the results calculated on the console screen he was beginning to regret initiating the test.

The results came up on the screen and The Doctor guiltily gave it a glance. His jaw dropped. He was not expecting what he saw.


	6. A Trick Or A Trap

*A/N: More fluffy moments were requested so I gave you a nice little chunk :3 Sorry this is only a shortish chapter, school has been so demanding this week but I wanted to give you an update on the cliffhanger I left it on at the weekend. The next chapter will be on in the next couple of days! By the way, you're responses to the story have been so amazing! I've had such nice messages on tumblr and great reviews! If you haven't reviewed yet PLEASE let me know what you think of the story J Happy reading!*

It was the favourite part of his day now. The Doctor watching Clara wake up in the mornings. He didn't sleep most nights so just lay with her in his arms. Her back fixed into his torso like a puzzle piece, the perfect fit. The Doctor spent his nights watching the steady rise and fall of Clara's chest as she breathed and the slight movement of her eyes under her eyelids. Every now and then she'd mumble something in her sleep and it made the Doctor smile. Each time he couldn't resist kissing the back of her head and pulling her in closer.

In the mornings she would start to move around more in her sleep before her eyes began to flicker. She would squint at the small amount of light filling the room. Clara would hug the Doctor's arms which were always around her before stretching out from her head to her toes. Her legs were always tangled with the Doctor's so her toes would tickle his legs and he would chuckle. After that Clara would turn around to face him and the Doctor would move her brown messy locks out of her eyes.

"Good morning." She'd whisper.

"Good morning, Clara." He'd return, before kissing her forehead softly. There was something so special about these humany-wumany mornings which he loved so much. Maybe it was just because he got to talk to Clara and see her beautiful face animated again. Or maybe it's because of how close they both felt to the other.

This morning, was the first they'd shared since Clara 'officially' moved in. They went about the same routine as they always did. But on this particular day something else was on the Doctor's mind. This particular something had blonde hair, long legs and was lying in a room identical to theirs further down the corridor. This something had made the Doctor spend the night in deep thought and even a bit of fear. Well, a little more than a bit. To be precise, this 24 year old woman the Doctor knew everything but nothing about. It was that nothing he was going to try and find out. He couldn't stand not knowing. He never could.

"Doctor?" It was Clara's voice that brought him back to the real world and out of his whirl wind of thoughts. She was lying right before him, her head resting on the opposite pillow, pouting slightly.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I am, I'm here with you."

But Clara was never satisfied that easily. She sat up from her pillow and propped herself up by her elbows to get a good look at him.

"You seem…oh I don't know. A bit distant. Did you have a bad dream?"

The Doctor wasn't sure if she was teasing him or asking a serious question.

"I'm fine Clara…honestly."

Clara still wasn't sure but gave up with her pestering as she was still quite drowsy. She gave him a quick kiss before leaving the bed and going to the bathroom to have a shower.

The Doctor sighed. Why did this always happen? Life, getting so confusing. He thought all the drama had come to the end. He'd finally worked out the mystery of his impossible girl, fallen in love and settled down. Now, another mysterious girl was on the scene. But there was a difference, he didn't like this one. Not one bit. He was frightened of what she meant and why she was here. But on top of this she was rude, insensitive and in hindsight very dangerous. This is why the Doctor needed to unravel Bella Scott's past and find out how risky she could really be.

-x-

The night before this morning, the Doctor had discovered some very unexpected information on Bella Scott. After he had found out, the Doctor had fallen into the passenger seat of the TARDIS and rested his head in his hands. This was not good. His past was creeping back up on him as it always did. As soon as he thought it was all over, something else came back to haunt him. This was big and this was scary. It can't have been a coincidence that Bella just happened to be friends with Clara. It can't have been a coincidence that she started travelling on _his_ TARDIS. Yet…she acted so _normal. _

So much as he knew her life so far had been ordinary. Clara has even been there for the majority of it and she'd watched Bella grow up with her Mother in London. So how could this have happened? How? The TARDIS could only tell him so much. The rest he needed to hear from Bella.

But he was afraid. The Doctor had to ask, he had to find out. But what if she was a trick or a trap? What if, like he had thought the day before, he couldn't trust her? He didn't think he could. The Doctor wanted her off of his TARDIS in that very moment. However, he couldn't make her leave.

The Doctor didn't think he could tell Clara about this. At least, not yet. Clara would probably get confused and want to know everything that happened for Bella to be this way. It was a long and emotional story. He needed to be sure of all the facts before he told it.

After he'd pondered in the console room for a while, The Doctor walked into the kitchen to see the two women cooking some fish fingers and chips for dinner.

"Why do you keep the fish fingers with the custard?" Clara had turned to him and asked.

The Doctor didn't say anything for a moment. He was watching Bella who was stood next to Clara on her tiptoes, searching through one of the higher cupboards for something.

"Because he's weird." Bella answered, still rummaging through the cupboard.

_Why is she always acting so normal?_ The Doctor thought to himself.

"No Bella…" The Doctor tried to act normal himself, but he was still pretty shocked by the news he'd just found out. "It's because they taste so good together, it's one of my favourite meals."

Clara raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips. "You eat fish fingers…with custard?"

Bella came down from the cupboard holding some apples. "What did I tell you? He's bonkers."

The Doctor shook his head, picked up a pot of custard and put it in the microwave.

"Ladies…" He announced. "I am about to liven up your taste buds."

Clara laughed and checked the oven. "You really do have some strange foods in here."

"…and they are kept in the most bizarre places. You do know you're not supposed to keep marshmallows in the freezer, don't you?" Bella queried whilst searching around in more cupboards.

The Doctor looked genuinely surprised. "Aren't you?!"

Both of the women rolled their eyes.

Bella gave up her relentless searching of the kitchen. "Doctor, do you have any pears?"

He made a disgusted expression on his face and pretended to gag.

"Urgh, pears? No no no no no. No pears. Not on this TARDIS."

Bella raised her eyebrows at him. "And why ever not?"

"Pears are the most disgusting thing ever created Bella. "

_He now disliked the woman even more because she actually liked pears._

Clara laughed. "More disgusting than fish fingers and custard?"

"Hey!" The Doctor exclaimed, retrieving the boiling hot custard from the microwave, "Don't diss it until you've tried it."

He turned to Bella again. "Why do you want pears anyway?"

"I like to make crumbles. I thought it would be nice to have an apple and pear one for dessert."

_Oh great._ The Doctor thought. _Another woman obsessed with desserts._

"No way." He replied. "You are not putting pear in that crumble."

The Doctor felt anxious about eating something Bella had made.

The timer on the oven went off and Clara took out the fish fingers and chips. The Doctor picked up a chip straight away from the oven tray but dropped it immediately because it was red-hot. He jumped up and down whilst shaking his fingers dramatically.

"Wait for it to cool!" Clara muttered. She observed the lack of other meals in his kitchen cupboards. "Is fish fingers and custard all you actually eat?"

"I'm sorry, is this coming from the person who demands on eating soufflés every day?" The Doctor teased.

Clara whacked him with the oven mitts and laughed. "I'm not that obsessed with soufflés!"

The Doctor and Bella both answered at the same time. "Yes you are."

They all laughed and sat down at the kitchen table. The Doctor started dipping his fish fingers in the custard like it was the most normal thing in the world. Clara and Bella sat watching him with repulsed looks on their faces.

"Try it!" The Doctor gave a custard covered fish finger to Clara and she sniffed it.

"Fine, fine." She replied, biting into the fish finger. Clara frowned whilst she chewed slowly, trying to decide whether or not she liked this combination. "Mm, it's okay."

Bella tried it too but she did not respond in the same way. She actually started gagging. "Oh my god, this is absolutely revolting!"

The Doctor chuckled whilst Bella ran to the toilet. He and Clara heard loud retching noises from next door.

"I'm guessing she didn't like it." Clara joked.

After that Bella returned to the dinner table and they finished their fish fingers and chips before eating the crumble. The Doctor spent the whole evening studying Bella. She showed nothing and acted normal as usual.

The Doctor came to the conclusion she must be a good actress. She must have lived with this secret for a long time, it must get easy to lie and live with it.

-x-

Clara emerged from the bathroom fully dressed, brushing her wet hair with a hair brush. The Doctor had dressed himself in his normal attire and was sat on the end of their bed staring into space. She came and sat next to him and ran her hands up and down his arm.

"Are you sure you're okay this morning? You're acting weird. Far too quiet for my liking."

The Doctor smiled at her. Everything about Clara made him smile. He stared into her big brown eyes and started running his fingers through her damp hair.

"As I told you earlier…I'm fine. Actually, better than fine, I'm fantastic."

She smirked, stood up and began making the bed "Help me make the bed then sleepy boy, just because I'm a woman this doesn't mean it's going to be just my job."

The Doctor shot up and did just as Clara asked, straightening the bed covers and rearranging the pillows. He suddenly felt something soft hit him on the head and looked up to see Clara giggling and a cushion beside him. He started giggling also and chucked it back at her. She burst out laughing and climbed over the bed to where he was standing and hit him playfully with the cushion. They both fell onto the bed with Clara still battering The Doctor so he decided to tickle her. She dropped the cushion and started laughing again hysterically.

"Doctor! Doctor! Stop it!"

Clara pinned him down onto the bed grinning and he stopped tickling her. She leaned down and kissed him softly on the lips. He kissed her back and they lay on the bed kissing over and over. The Doctor wouldn't admit it but he loved doing little domestic things like this with Clara more than anything else in the universe. Suddenly, the Doctor was taken by surprise as Clara picked up the cushion again and thumped him over the head, messing up his already scruffy hair. She burst out laughing.

"Miss Oswald, this means war!" He ran over to the other side of the bed, picked up a different cushion and before they knew it they were knelt on the bed whacking each other with them. They were both in fits of laughter and after a while they let go of the cushions and fell back on the bed again. They were still giggling.

All of a sudden they heard a voice from outside the door. "Seriously guys, it's 10 in the morning, didn't you get enough action last night?"

The Doctor blushed until his cheeks went a crimson red. "Wait...no…Bella…we were just…"

Clara chuckled and walked over to the door and opened it. "We were making the bed." She explained.

Bella walked in with her hands on her hips and looked at the bed. Because of the massive pillow fight which had just happened on it, it was now completely messed up again. "To be honest, it doesn't look like you've done a very good job."

The Doctor felt uncomfortable looking at Bella again. He'd been thinking all night and was now very weary of her.

"What's up with you?" She asked the Doctor because of the expression on his face. "You're looking at me funny."

The Doctor's eyes darted to Clara, who had her arms crossed and rolled her eyes. "Don't ask, he's been acting weird all morning…"

"No I haven't!" The Doctor snapped, even though he knew he had. He walked out of the bedroom to the console room and the women followed him.

"By the way, you're box has been acting really odd this morning." Bella said once they reached the console. "Firstly, it wouldn't let me into the bathroom. Then when I tried to get some clothes out the wardrobe, it kept moving the rails! Then when I tried to make some cereal the milk exploded as soon as I took it out of the fridge and it took me forever to clean it up because the mop kept disappearing…"

Clara raised her eyebrows. "Wow, the TARDIS hates Bella even more then it hates me."

"I wonder why…" The Doctor mumbled under his breath.

"I'm sorry, what Doctor?" Bella asked.

"Oh nothing, nothing."

Bella rolled her eyes and continued. "Then as I walked out of the kitchen and towards your room a step appeared in the floor from out of nowhere and I tripped straight over it! I could have broken my ankle!"

The Doctor didn't say anything. The TARDIS was beginning to get aggressive with Bella and he knew why. The TARDIS didn't like who Bella was. In particular, how she became to be.

"You know Doctor, this place is seriously unsafe. You need to tell your stupid box to get rid of her attitude." Bella nagged.

Clara laughed at the irony.

"It's not my fault she doesn't like you Bella."

"Why doesn't she like me then?!" Bella exclaimed.

The Doctor turned to her with a frown on his face. "You know very well Bella Scott why she doesn't like you!" The words blurted out of his mouth before he realised. Clara and Bella both gave him funny looks. No, he didn't want to have this conversation now in front of Clara. He had wanted to wait until he got Bella in private so they could talk. In that moment it had just driven him a little bit crazy with how Bella was pretending she didn't know why the TARDIS disliked her.

"What did I do?" Bella looked genuinely confused. "I know I probably shouldn't have called her a bitch earlier but I got milk all over my new jeans!"

The Doctor shook his head and walked away. She was one hell of an actress. _Fine. _He decided. _I'll let her win this time. But later Bella will admit what she is doing here and tell me everything. I won't give up until she gives me every last detail._

Clara sighed. "So Doctor, where are we going today?" She grinned at him with such enthusiasm the Doctor perked up a bit.

Bella stood observing him with her arms crossed.

"Well…we've been to the future… so now let's take a little trip to the past."

*A/N: Another cliffhanger mwhaha! Any ideas to who you think Bella is? ;) Leave it in the review! Next chapter coming soon, I'm teasing this in true moffat style ;)*


	7. All The Doctor's Fault

**The Time Travelling Trio**

**Chapter 7: All The Doctor's Fault**

*A/N sorry if the end of this chapter is a bit confusing, but I was trying to reveal as little as possible as this chapter is the big lead up to finding out who Bella actually is! At the end of this fic the Doctor realises how stupid and naive he has been. Some of you clever whovians may guess who Bella is at the end of this chapter. Happy reading.

Caution: Ends on a MASSIVE cliffhanger*

* * *

"You may want to change." The Doctor said as he landed the TARDIS in its new location.

"Why? Where are we?" Clara asked.

"Seattle1957." The Doctor replied. "I don't think what either of you are wearing is um…very appropriate."

The 2 women were both wearing very short skirts. "The TARDIS will have some 50's style dresses in the main wardrobe, go and try some on."

"We still don't know what we are doing here!" Bella exclaimed.

The Doctor bit his lip. "Well, as an apology for how badly yesterday went I have a little surprise for you both. Now go on, go and get changed."

Bella frowned as she didn't like the Doctor bossing her around but Clara grinned. "A surprise hey?"

They both disappeared off to the main wardrobe and the Doctor sighed. Well, he was partly telling the truth. He did want to give them a better day out then he had done yesterday. But there was a very specific reason why he needed to pay a visit to 1950's Seattle. He needed to see a man about a dog. And that 'dog' was a certain woman which he needed to work out the mystery of quickly in case she was dangerous. And by what the Doctor knows about her so far, boy could she be dangerous.

After a while the women returned both wearing 1950's style dresses. They both had a long floaty skirts over the knee and a thick belt around the waist. Clara's dress was red with little white polka dots and Bella's was cream with a pastel floral pattern.

Clara walked up to the Doctor and spun around. "So…how do I look?"

The Doctor smiled and put his hands round her waist. "You look gorgeous…beautiful, as always."

Even with her high heels on Clara had to get further onto her tiptoes to look the Doctor in the eye. She put her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his, giving him a thank you kiss.

Clara then smiled and tugged at his bowtie. "I guess you don't look too bad either." They kissed again but heard groaning noises from the other side of the console.

"Guys, I didn't get dressed up like this to spend all day watching you snog!"

The Doctor glared at Bella and let go of Clara before racing round the console and picking up two tickets. "Okay, yes, your surprise…" He muttered. "You are both too young to have witnessed this music sensation!"

"What? Who?" Clara asked.

"You were born in 1989, too young to be given the privilege of seeing Elvis Presley, the king of rock and roll in concert!"

"Wait…so we are actually going to see Elvis in concert?" Clara beamed.

Even Bella had to stop herself from looking impressed.

"Well, you and Bella are. I had a bit of a run in with Elvis a while back, didn't leave things well, me turning up to his concert would cause a bit of a commotion."

Clara's smile turned to a frown. "But Doctor…you have to come. You can't stay here by yourself."

"No, no, you and Bella go together and do humany women things."

Bella snorted.

"Anyway, I've got to sort out the internal configuration on the TARDIS and work out what's wrong with the s5y8xp drive. Very complicated, needs fixing urgently." He lied.

Clara knew that the Doctor was trying to get rid of them. Crossly she snatched the tickets out of his hands. "Fine then, Bella and I will go by ourselves." She tugged Bella by the arm out of the TARDIS.

"And we'll have much more fun than we would with you!"

She slammed the TARDIS doors shut behind them and sulked off to the concert hall.

_Uh-oh._ The Doctor thought. _I didn't handle that one very well._ Clara could often tell when he was lying.

He peaked his head around the doors and waited until Clara and Bella had disappeared into the building before leaving the TARDIS himself.

"Okay Miss Scott." The Doctor said to himself. "It's about time I found out more about your little secret."

-x-

The Doctor walked into a dark misty bar not too far from the concert hall. There was loud music playing and lots of people were chatting and smoking. He scanned the room and soon saw the man he was looking for sitting at a table by himself. The Doctor strolled over to the table and took the spare seat.

"Doctor." The man greeted him. He was in his 40's dressed in a casual suit and a trilby hat with a strong American accent. The man put out his cigarette and smiled at the Doctor. "You called?"

The Doctor nodded. This wasn't an ordinary man. He was a space agent from the future which took residence in a little town in Seattle in the 1950's. Except he was an exceptional space agent and one that knew a lot about what the Doctor wanted to know.

"Bella Scott, a 24 year old woman that grew up in London with her Mother. Except, she isn't a normal girl and the woman that did a bad job of raising her was definitely not her Mother." The Doctor stated.

The man raised his eyebrows. "What is it you want to know and if you are acquainted with the girl why not just ask her yourself?"

"Because I am certain that Bella will lie or that she is some sort of trap. I need to be confident that she is not a threat before I confront her. What I want to know is this. The leaders of the people that created Bella are all dead. I made sure of that. So how come she was brought to 1989 London, raised from an infant to an adult and then let free into the world?"

The man sighed. "When the leaders all got killed, the rest of the organisation did not follow. They were curious with what they could do with all that you left behind. They found out that you were alive and wanted to restart the mission. They grew the girl but soon another organisation, the Fandowi, found out about what they were doing. They thought it was wrong and unnatural to breed a child in such a way. The Fandowi lauched an attack on the rest of the organisation as they wanted the baby killed. They fled with the child to London and brought her up as a normal baby and let her have a normal life. The mission was abandoned. It was the only way the Fandowi would never find her and kill her."

The Doctor shook his head. "No. There was a reason she was brought to London. They wouldn't have just dumped her into foster care when she was 14 and left her on Earth to have a normal life without reason. Growing Bella must have been very costly to them; they wouldn't just let her go."

"After the attack the organisation finally broke apart …except for the one. She worked on her own."

The Doctor swallowed. "She didn't actually die did she?"

"No, she is very much alive. She is the one who brought Bella to London and then left her."

"She pretended to be Bella's real mother?"

The man nodded. "Then just abandoned her. I don't know why she did it but that's all I know I'm afraid."

"Bella will know. But this is too much of a coincidence. Why would she bring Bella to the same place and time that Clara was born and even send her to the same school?"

The man frowned. "Who's Clara?"

The Doctor blushed. "My girlfriend and Bella's bestfriend. Well it's all very complicated really. I met her twice but both times it wasn't really her and she died. Then I met the real her, don't know how actually, she managed to call my TARDIS which was all very odd. Anyway, then I started travelling with her and when I was finally called to Trenzalore, she jumped into my timeline and saved me and…"

The Doctor froze. It was as if something suddenly clicked in his brain. _Trenzalore_. _Of course Trenzalore, it was always to do with Trenzalore._

He jumped up from his seat and saluted the man. "Thank you sir, I now have all the information I need." Before the man could reply, the Doctor had already ran out of the bar.

He now realised exactly why Bella had been brought to London and why her and Clara were friends.

It was time to confront Bella Scott.

-x-

Once the Doctor returned he waited in the TARDIS for the women for several hours. He was very confused when Clara and Bella still weren't back hours after the concert had finished. Worried that Clara was avoiding him, the Doctor decided to go to the concert hall and search for them.

The Doctor searched around the now empty concert hall. He couldn't find Clara and Bella anywhere. He began to get worried so searched the back corridors of the building but bumped into a very large security guard.

"I'm sorry sir, you're not allowed past here." The guard said.

The Doctor nodded. "Of course, I was just wondering, have you seen two women anywhere?"

The man laughed. "Sir, this is an Elvis Presley concert, I've seen women everywhere tonight."

"No, 2 particular women. One of them short with brown hair and a red dress and the other one tall with blonde hair and a floral dress, have you seen them?"

The guard chuckled again. "Yes I've seen them, they're just through here with Mr Presley."

"Oh no, can I see them please? We need to leave."

"Not without a pass."

The Doctor fumbled with his new psychic paper (As Clara had demanded on keeping the other one yesterday) and flashed it at the guard.

The guard sighed and lead the Doctor to Elvis Presley's dressing room. The Doctor entered to see Elvis and Bella sitting on a chair together on the other side of the room. Kissing.

"Bella!" The Doctor exclaimed. He was then prodded on the shoulder and turned round to see Clara behind him with her hands on her hips.

"They've been doing that for hours." Clara sighed. "I now understand why Bella gets so irritable when being the 3rd wheel with us."

The Doctor flailed his arms about gesturing from Bella and Elvis (still kissing on the seat paying no attention to them what-so-ever) to Clara. "But that's Elvis Presley! She can't go around snogging Elvis Presley!"

It was then Bella and Elvis looked up.

"Doctor?!" Elvis exclaimed. The Doctor had not been lying when he said him and Elvis had left things on the wrong foot when they met before.

"Uh-oh!" The Doctor said. He grabbed Bella's arm and pulled her off the chair and yelled "Run!"

The Doctor, Clara and Bella ran as fast as they could out of the concert hall and back to the TARDIS with a very angry Elvis Presley following close behind them.

"What the hell is going on?" Bella shouted as then ran.

"I did tell you that me turning up to this concert would cause a commotion, didn't I?"

They finally got back to the TARDIS and the Doctor shut the doors on Elvis.

"Every time I find a hot guy, you always have to ruin it!" Bella yelled.

"It wasn't my fault... he was going to kill me! And how was that going to last anyway? It was Elvis Presley!"

Bella rolled her eyes.

"Why does Elvis want to kill you anyway?" Clara asked.

"Well, um, last time we met there was a bit of a misunderstanding. Let's just say he doesn't like me much now."

Clara sighed. "I still haven't forgiven you for trying to get rid of us."

"I wasn't trying to get rid of you!" He lied again.

"Well then what were you trying to do? Get some space? Because if you want some space, here you go, have some space!" Clara turned around and stormed down the passageway out of the console room.

The Doctor was about to go after her but Bella caught his arm. "Leave her to cool off." She said. "She'll be back again in a minute anyway, Clara can never sulk for long. Plus with your big gob you'll probably just make things worse."

The Doctor knew she was right so wondered to the other side of the console and rubbed his temple. It then occurred to him he was alone with Bella. Time to have that chat.

"I actually need to talk to you Bella."

"What about?" She asked.

"Stop with the act. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You don't have to deny it, Clara's not here."

"Huh? What the hell are you on about alien boy?"

He gritted his teeth and stormed up to her. "Just stop it! I know everything! I know why you are here!"

Bella looked at him blankly. "I'm here because you invited me to come with you…aren't I?"

He shook his head furiously. Why wasn't she dropping the act?

"I know why you came to Earth and that your 'Mum' isn't really your Mother!"

She stared at him. "How did you know that isn't my real Mother? You've never even met my Aunt! And what do you mean why I came to Earth? I was born there you idiot!"

Her Aunt? What the hell was she talking about? Why was she still not dropping the act?

"Bella! I know that's not your Aunt and why she brought you to Earth. I have met her and you were definitely not born here! So just tell me why she left you on this planet, why you are still hanging around with Clara and why you joined me on the TARDIS!"

"You're crazy!" Bella exclaimed. "You're freaking me out! Yes I admit I lied about my aunt being my Mother. But she wouldn't let me tell anyone. She said if she did she would kill me and the person I told. She was scary, really scary…"

Tears pricked in Bella's eyes and then ran down her cheeks.

The Doctor was startled. _Bella was crying. Bella never lets herself cry in front of other people._

"She'd hit me and beat me and lock me in the cupboard. She wouldn't even let me see my own Mum and she wouldn't even tell me why! She left me with Clara for 2 years when I was little and they were the best 2 years of my childhood. I thought I'd never see her again but she came back, brought me home and did the same things as she did before. Once I was 14 I couldn't live like that any longer so I told my school. I didn't care if she killed me any more. My aunt fled to hide from the police but I never saw her again and they never found her. That's the truth, are you happy now?"

The realisation and guilt hit the Doctor like a tonne of bricks. He was so stupid.

They never even told her. The Doctor thought all this time that Bella was living a lie and was an evil trap but he couldn't be more wrong. Bella didn't even know who she was. To her knowledge, she was a normal 24 year old human woman that was born in London and raised by her abusive aunt because her Mother abandoned her.

But this didn't make sense. Why did she bring Bella to London if Bella wasn't part of the plan? And why did she tell Bella that she was her Aunt, why not just tell Bella that she was her Mother?

The Doctor hit himself on the head and groaned. _He was stupid._ Bella had met her real Mother and knew exactly who she was. Then he understood. Bella wasn't the one the woman was using to carry out the mission. Bella was just the bait.

It was Bella's mother she was after. It always had been.

This was all the Doctor's fault.

* * *

*A/N: I've confused you all haven't I? Sorry about that. This plot is very complex! All will be revealed in the next chapter I promise! You will find out who Bella Scott, the weird 'Aunt', the organisation and her Mother actually are and why the Doctor is to blame.

oh yeah and sorry about the lack of whouffle in this one. I promise I will fix that.

enjoy the cliffhanger ;)


	8. Hell In High Heels

**The Time Travelling Trio**

**Chapter 8: Hell In High Heels**

A/N: I really wasn't expecting myself to finish this chapter so quickly. But here you go, in this chapter you do find out who Bella Scott actually is. I hope you enjoy how this plot unravels. Some of you may not have been expecting this at all! However, (as I do like to do a lot of teasing) you will only find out half of Bella's story in this chapter. Believe it or not, Bella's identity being revealed is not the end to the plot. Be prepared for an unexpected cliff hanger.

Thank you for all the great reviews and tumblr messages! Love you guys! :3 Happy reading x

* * *

The Doctor didn't know what to say. All Bella's suffering was down to him, well, everything bad that happened was always down to him in the end. Bella was stood opposite him looking really frightened.

"Bella, I'm so sorry." The Doctor said. "You don't even know who you are."

She glared at him. "What the hell are you on about? Of course I know who I am!"

"I thought you did but you don't. You really don't and I'm so sorry."

"Why are you sorry and what are you talking about? What has anything got to do with you?"

The Doctor sighed and touched her arm. "Because everything's always my fault. Everything I do has a consequence in one way or another. I try to save one person and then accidentally hurt another. It's the sorry of my life."

Bella shook his hand off of her arm and stepped back. "The last minute or so you've been talking complete nonsense so explain to me right now what you are talking about!"

"Where do I start?" He muttered to himself. "Your Aunt is not really your Aunt Bella. She never has been. "

"Then who is she?"

"Not a nice woman. Once upon a time her and her people stole my best friend from me and caused a great battle."

"Is she not human?"

"Oh no, she's human. Flesh and blood."

Bella was very confused. None of this was making sense. "What has this got to do with me?"

The Doctor didn't know how to explain. "Basically, they had your Mother in captivity also. They were using her as a weapon to fulfil a mission. They thought she had fulfilled the mission as she was sent to prison…then released but that is all very confusing and timey-wimey. Anyway, your Mother ran away and they realised that she had not actually completed the mission. With their leaders dead and no sign of your Mum, they decided to create you using the millions of pieces of DNA they had taken from your Mother throughout her early childhood. They wanted you to take your Mother's place. But then they got attacked by another organisation who wanted to kill you and their own organisation broke apart. Apart from your 'Aunt'. She wanted to complete the mission as it seems but she could not use you as a weapon in case you got found out. So…she took you to Earth and used you as bait for your Mother to come back."

"I don't understand! What was the mission? How was my Mum a weapon? And why create me when they could use anyone? Why did the other organisation want to kill me? Oh...and what has this got to do with you?"

The Doctor sighed. The reason he was leaving out all the key details is because he didn't want Bella to know. He didn't want her to know what had happened and what the mission was. But he knew. He knew he had to tell her. But he stayed silent.

"So what happened in the end? Did my Mother come back? Well, I only met her once or twice. Actually, I don't know. I can't really remember. I don't even know who she is; I don't even know her name."

"I don't know what happened. But every time your Mother declined I guess your Aunt would torture you."

"So my whole childhood was my Mum's fault? Being hit and pushed and shoved around for years and years. The cruelty. That was all because she wouldn't complete a stupid mission!?" Bella was extremely angry.

"It's not your Mother's fault. It was mine Bella. It was mine."

"What has this even got to do with you?"

"Because the mission." The Doctor swallowed. "Was to kill me. She wouldn't do it and I was a coward. I escaped it."

Bella smirked through her tears. "So I saved you. You'd torture a child to save your own skin?"

"No! No Bella, I didn't even know any of this had happened until today!"

"I don't believe you!" She screamed.

The Doctor closed his eyes expecting a slap. But Bella's next move was not one he expected. He opened his eyes to see her holding a gun pointed straight at him.

The Doctor jumped back from her. "What…what…where did you get that from?!"

"My 'Aunt' left it behind when she fled. I thought it might come in handy one day."

The Doctor shook his head. "But where were you keeping it?"

"You really don't want to know."

"What the hell is going on?!" Clara exclaimed. She was stood at the entrance of the passage way with her jaw dropped. She had heard Bella's screaming from her bedroom and had come to see what was happening. She ran over to the Doctor who was holding his hands above his head.

"Urm, well, it's all very complicated." He explained. "I'm kind of responsible for her mass torture as a child."

"What?!" Clara gasped.

"I didn't know! If there's anybody we should be interrogating right now it's her Mother!"

"And who is my Mother?" Bella asked advancing towards him.

"She's a lot like you really." The Doctor explained. "Hell in high heels."

-x-

The 3 of them were now sat in silence in the kitchen. Bella was sitting at one end of the table with her arms crossed, glaring at the Doctor. The Doctor was sat at the other end playing with his thumbs. Clara was sat in between them with the gun in front of her. They were all drinking tea which Clara had just made.

"So." Bella said once they'd all got comfortable. "You said you would explain once we all sat down. So, explain."

Earlier in the console room, Clara had grabbed the gun off Bella and had made them tell her what was going on. The Doctor had said they needed to calm down and have some tea before things got out of hand.

"A long time ago I had 2 friends called Amy and Rory." The Doctor decided to start from the beginning. "They…um…" he blushed. "Conceived a child on this ship whilst we were travelling through the time vortex. The timelords became who we are because of exposure to the time vortex so the baby got timelord DNA. The silence, a religious organisation found out about the child Amy was carrying and kidnapped her. They then replaced her with a doppelganger so we all thought she was still in the TARDIS when she wasn't…Anyway that's not important. Amy had her baby, Melody Pond and Rory and I went to save them causing a great battle at Demon's Run. However, once we thought we had saved them, it turned out that the Melody we had was a doppelganger and the silence had kidnapped her and run away."

"Why didn't you save Melody?" Clara asked.

"I tried but I had no idea where they had taken her. It was only later I found out she had been taken by Madame Kovarian to the 20th century to be trained to kill me. That was the mission. She was chosen because she has traces of Time Lord DNA. This means she could regenerate, fly the TARDIS and comprehend complex principles of time and space. She was perfect for the job."

"Who is Madame Kovarian and why did they want to kill you anyway?" Bella queried.

"I'll explain as I tell the story Bella!" The Doctor sighed. "She was one of the head human agents of the silence. What is your 'Aunt's' name?"

"Her Aunt?" Clara asked.

"Yes…" The Doctor said. "The woman Bella told you was her Mother wasn't really her Mother. The woman told Bella that she was her Aunt, but she wasn't really Bella's Aunt either."

Clara turned to Bella. "Why did you lie to me all this time? I thought we didn't keep secrets?"

"She said she would kill me and anyone I told. I didn't exactly have a choice Clara…" Bella replied. Clara felt guilty and squeezed her hand.

"And Doctor, her name was Via."

"Her full name?"

"Via Knora Scott. I'm guessing that wasn't her name?"

"Via Knora is an anagram." The Doctor replied. "An anagram for Kovarian."

"Why is her last name Scott then? Wait…why is my last name Scott?"

"I don't know. Probably just a made up name to make you both sound normal so you would blend in. Anyway, I'll continue with the story. Melody grew up to an adult and tried to kill me. She'd been trained to, it was instinct. Melody then killed me but saved me again, and escaped from the silence. But then on the 22nd April 2011 Kovarian captured her with agents of the Church and the Silence. They forced Melody into a modified astronaut suit and took her to a lake in Utah, where I was waiting for her. This was a fixed point in time, my death. But then she didn't kill me, she drained her weapon pack because she didn't want me to die. This meant another version of reality was created where all of history happened at once. This was all very confusing and timey-wimey. Amy killed Madame Kovarian in this timeline. However, I was actually not me. I was inside a robot replica spaceship of me. So I told Melody, she finally agreed to kill me as she wasn't actually killing me and all of time and space was restored. This meant however Madame Kovarian was restored too…"

Clara raised her eyebrows. "Your right Doctor, this is one big confusing story."

"It's about to get a hundred times more confusing. So I survived, but the silence thought I had died and that they had succeeded in their mission. Melody however was arrested for killing me and was sentenced to twelve thousand consecutive life sentences in 52nd century prison."

"That's not fair when she didn't do anything wrong." Clara said.

"Oh, she didn't actually stay in prison that much. She escaped and time travelled with me a bit, did her own thing and then went back to her cell. She had to serve the sentence so the silence would believe I was dead. Anyway, we had met the silent just before Melody 'killed' me. These were the creatures that were the leaders of the silence. Every time you looked away from them you forgot you ever saw them. Which is why the human members of the silence like Madame Kovarian had to wear a special eyepatch which helped you remember them."

"But Aunt Via never wore an eye patch." Bella inturupted.

The Doctor sighed. "I'm coming to that bit! Melody and I defeated the Silent before the other version of reality by using their brainwashing of humanity against them, so any human that saw them killed them. And that was that, in the real reality I thought the silent had ended and the other members of the silence had broken apart. I thought it was all over…"

"I'm guessing this is where I come into the story then?" Bella asked.

He nodded. "Whilst you were at the concert, I went to go and see a man with information regarding you, Bella, and the silence. It turns out Madame Kovarain and many other Human members of the silence were still out there. But because the silent instantly get killed every time they are seen they no longer need to wear the eye patches. I deleted myself from all databases so that Melody was released from prison and could run away and live her own life. I tried to step back into the shadows, but it appears the silence found out I was still alive. Even though the silent were dead, the human agents still wanted to complete the mission of killing me by themselves."

"But why did they want to kill you?" Clara asked.

"I'll explain in a minute. As I was saying, the human agents wanted to complete the mission. They tried to capture Melody again but they couldn't find her. By this point Melody was a lot more knowledgeable than before. With no trace of Melody, the silence needed someone else like her to kill me. But there wasn't anybody else left with DNA like Melody who they could use. However, when Melody was a child before they sent her out to find me and kill me, the silence took and kept a lot of her DNA. They had millions of records on absolutely everything about her. So they decided to use all of this to make another baby."

"What? They can't just make another baby. You have to have a Mother and a Father, that's impossible otherwise." Bella stated. Even though she knew it must be possible one way or another. She was alive, wasn't she?

The Doctor rubbed his face with his hands. "They had taken things from Melody when she was an infant Bella. Egg cells to be precise… and frozen them. The alien technology that the silence had is as amazing as some of that on this TARDIS. Now they had their hands on Timelord DNA they could manipulate that to create an embryo. They played with the embryo, changing it and developing it to just the way they wanted it. They tried to do this with Melody but she had already been conceived and was growing within Amy. But with Bella they had infinite possibilities as they were starting from fresh."

Clara stared at Bella then to the Doctor. "Wait, what?! How does that work? Surely that would make Bella a clone if she doesn't have a father?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No, it's timelord DNA. It doesn't work the same as human DNA does. It's all very spacy-sciency and an extremely complicated process but Bella is completely her own person. Well, with influences from the silence's technology. They could never create another embryo with timelord DNA before because they didn't have any female timelords, or timeladies, whatever you want to call them, left in the universe. But as Melody was born a woman, they were able to."

"So that means…Bella's not human?" Clara asked.

"Well. Melody was half human so she does have some human DNA. But I'd say yes, she is almost completely…timelord."

-x-

The Doctor and Clara both looked at Bella. She hadn't said anything for a while. She was sat there in silence, thinking. It was if The Doctor and Clara could see Bella questioning her whole life in that moment. Questioning everything about herself. Bella started crying and stood up from her chair.

"No…you're wrong. I'm human. I'm not some stupid alien like you. You're lying!" She screamed. Bella ran out of the kitchen to her bedroom full of rage.

Clara got up to run after Bella but the Doctor stopped her. "Clara, I know she's your best friend and you care for her very much. But she's in shock and she needs a few minutes to get her head around this. She could be quite aggressive towards you."

Tears pricked in Clara's eyes and looked from the Doctor to the door not knowing what to. The Doctor hugged her and she hugged him back tightly.

"Clara, I'm so sorry about earlier. I should have told you what I was doing. I should have told Bella what I was doing. But I was scared about our safety. At that point I thought Bella could possibly be a threat…"

"It's okay." She replied. "I over reacted. I'm sorry for acting like a brat."

"You didn't, I don't blame you for being angry Clara. But I was just trying to keep you safe."

She nodded. "So, is that the end of the story?"

The Doctor let her go and sighed. "No. I'm afraid it's not. The next part is where you get involved, actually."

"What?!"

The Doctor sighed again. "I also need to speak to Bella's Mother very urgently."

"When was the last time you saw her?"

The Doctor stared at Clara. It was then he realised he'd been calling her Melody throughout the entire story. "Melody Pond, she went by several different names. But the name she goes by isn't Melody Pond or Mels or Mel anymore."

Clara frowned. "Then what does she call herself?"

"Professor River Song."

Clara's eyes widened and she thumped him on the arm. "Ow! Ow! Clara!"

"You forgot to tell us the tiny little detail that Bella's Mum is your ex-wife!"

"She's what?!" Bella had reappeared from her bedroom and was standing in the doorway to the kitchen with a tissue. "You better not be my Dad!"

The Doctor flailed his arms around. "No, NO! I've checked your biological inheritance on the TARDIS, I am definitely not your Dad. You don't even have a Dad!"

Bella glared at him and thumped him hard on the arm like Clara did. "Ow! Ladies please, I am not your punch bag!" The Doctor whined whilst rubbing his sore arm. He led them into the console room and put Bella's information scan results on the screen as he had the night before. "See? Definitely not related!"

Bella and Clara studied the information.

"She's a timelord, but it says she only has one heart. I thought timelords had two?" Clara queried.

"Full bread timelords do, but Melody was half human so only had 1 heart. I guess that Bella had to take after her Mother organ-wise."

"Wait…" Bella said. "You've been looking at my personal information without telling me?!"

The Doctor shielded himself in case Bella punched him again. This made her snigger.

"Yes, I had to! After what happened yesterday I became very suspicious of you."

Bella frowned. "What happened yesterday?"

The Doctor and Clara raised their eyebrows.

"Um, Bella, do you not remember getting locked up by Earth 2's Chinese secret services, getting your wrists broken and me almost being killed?!" Clara gestured towards the bandages still wrapped around Bella's mended wrists. Bella still had them on for support even though she didn't really need them any more.

"Yeah, but apart from that?"

Clara turned to the Doctor who was fiddling with his fingers. "Well?"

"Bella and I were walking down the side of the Chinese restaurant. She said she could sense where the guards were and she told me she knew what they were about to do. She also reminded me of how she sensed Feng Dai in the restaurant and how she knew the Tyconerax were there in the woods on Fallitopia. She's also surprisingly clever. She guesses things before even I do…"

Bella grinned. "Can I have that in writing wonder boy?"

"Bella, do you remember when you first arrived back from travelling the other week? You automatically knew I was thinking about a boyfriend!" Clara then remembered the Doctor didn't know about that and blushed. "And ever since we were little you've always been able to guess what I was thinking about."

"I know you better then anyone Clara, that's just a coincidence." Bella replied.

The Doctor sighed. "I knew there was something weird about her so last night when we got back to the TARDIS I got her to scan Bella."

"And that's why you were acting so weird this morning?" Clara asked.

The Doctor nodded.

Bella looked confused. "But wait, what has me sensing stuff got to do with anything?"

"Timelords...can have some telepathic abilities. As the silence manipulated Bella's DNA her's are probably incredibly strong, maybe even stronger then any kind of timelord ever. Timelords only occasionally use them when they get permission from the other person. But as you didn't even know you have them…you use them without realizing. You see Bella, when the mission was abandoned, they didn't bother training you like they did with Melody. You have all these abilities which you're probably not even aware of."

Bella shook her head. "I am not telepathic."

The Doctor walked in between Clara and Bella.

"Okay, Clara think of something, anything, or just carry on with your own thoughts. Bella, hold Clara's hand, timelords are more telepathic when they touch."

"This isn't going to work." Bella argued.

"Come on, I'm interested to see whether you can do it." Clara persuaded.

Bella rolled her eyes and took Clara's hand.

"Now close your eyes." The Doctor instructed.

Bella sighed and they both did what he said. The women remained silent for a moment. But then Bella began to talk. "Wait, I can, I can see all your thoughts Clara and…"

But then she stopped and frowned. The Doctor looked a bit puzzled. "Is everything okay?"

But they both began to shake. Bella screwed up her eyes in frustration and fear. "Who are they Clara? Why are they…what…where are you?"

Clara began to cry. The Doctor quickly pushed them away from each other and Bella fell back against the console. He held Clara in his arms and she sobbed into his chest.

The Doctor was full of fear. Why is Clara crying? What just happened? What did Bella see?

Bella stared at Clara with a shocked expression on her face.

"What happened?" The Doctor demanded. "Clara, please, tell me what's wrong. Everything's okay I promise."

"I can tell you why she's crying." Bella answered. "Her head hurts. It feels…like there are thousands and thousands of people screaming all at once all of the time. It feels like she's always scared and always dying and all she can think about is you."

Tears poured down the Doctors cheeks. "Clara, I thought that you said that you could hardly remember? That you felt exactly the same as you did before Trenzalore."

Clara fell to the floor.

"Clara! Clara! What's wrong? What's happening?" The Doctor tried to help Clara up but she was lying limp on the ground. The Doctor and Bella knelt down beside her.

"She feels like she is burning. Like her mind is dissolving into thousands of pieces." Bella replied.

"Clara, why didn't you tell me?" The Doctor cried. Clara's eyes were flickering and tears were still running out of her eyes. "I could have helped you; I could have eased the pain."

Clara reached out her hand and the Doctor took it. "Clara, please say something, let me know that you are okay!"

"I…I don't know where I am."

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*A/N: What's happened to Clara? Will we ever find out the second half of Bella's story? Will River ever get to explain to The 3 of them what actually happened? Are the silence still out there? (I bet you're all thinking what the hell is going on right now? hahaha) You'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out! If you enjoyed this chapter please follow, favourite and _**review!**_ Thankyou for reading!x *


	9. Breaking The Rules

**The Time Travelling Trio**

**Chapter 9: Breaking The Rules**

*This is only a short chapter but is the lead up to a very interesting chapter 10 ;) Only a few more chapters to this story until it will be finished, so enjoy whoufflepuffs! Sorry there hasn't been too much fluff in the last few chapters, there will be lots more in chapter 10. Clara's kind of unconscious in this one so it can't be helped. Oh well, enjoy the story, and please leave a review!*

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The Doctor was sat watching Clara sleep. She was in bed, still passed out after what had happened in the console room. The Doctor had picked her up and taken her to their bedroom when he couldn't wake her up. He was just going to have to wait until she opened her eyes again. If she ever opened her eyes again.

He was sat on top of the covers next to her on the side of the bed. The Doctor was holding her hand as tightly as he had been doing in the console room and was running his thumb over her knuckles gently. He watched the steady rise and fall of her chest hoping she would just wake up. The Doctor still didn't understand what had happened to her which was unusual for him. One minute Bella had been reading her thoughts and the next she had passed out on the ground with her mind burning. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know who could help her.

Bella walked into the room carrying 2 mugs of freshly made tea. She handed one to the Doctor and kept the other for herself and sat down beside him on the edge of the bed. They stayed in silence for a while watching Clara before Bella decided they needed to talk about what happened.

"Who were they?" She asked.

The Doctor didn't say anything for a moment. He eventually turned to face her, tearing his eyes away from Clara for the first time in about an hour.

"Who were who?" He replied. But the Doctor knew exactly what Bella was talking about.

"All the screaming people in her head. Thousands and thousands of them. But they weren't just people, they were all her. But they weren't…"

The Doctor sighed and turned back to look at Clara. His beautiful, impossible girl.

"We never properly explained to you what happened in Trenzalore, did we?"

"No."

"The Great Intelligence, jumped into my time stream…It was like a big light, everything about my past and my future self, right up to my death. He wanted revenge for me defeating him so many times. When he walked in, he killed himself. It created thousands of copies of him across my past, destroying all my victories up to that moment. Because of this I started dying and the stars began to go out as they were the ones I had saved. But Clara was there and she couldn't watch me die. So she sacrificed herself. She jumped into my time stream scattering herself across my past, mending all my victories. This meant thousands of copies of her were created. All of them being born, then saving me and then dying."

"If this Great Intelligence guy died then why didn't Clara?"

"I thought Clara would be dead. But your Mother, Bella, was connected to her through a conference call. It's quite confusing really; it was your Mother from the future. She had already died but I had backed her up to a library so she was just a hologram. She told me if Clara was dead, she couldn't possibly still be here. So I jumped into my own time stream which was incredibly risky, saved Clara and got us back out safe again."

Bella smiled. "That's quite a love story."

The Doctor turned to face her and smiled back. "Yes, I guess it is."

"But wait, why was my dead Mum connected to a conference call with Clara and how was Clara still alive?"

"This lizard woman called Madame Vastra had a conference call through a dream with herself, her wife, an alien that looks like a potato, Clara and your Mum. They were talking about me, but when they broke off the Conference Call, River kept the line open so she could still talk to Clara. As she was backed up to the biggest library in the universe she could appear as a hologram."

"Wow, you literally do have women dreaming about you." Bella teased. "But… how was Clara still alive?"

"I don't know. I asked your Mum before she disappeared but she just said 'Spoilers'."

"Spoilers?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Your Mother and I are both time travellers so whenever we met, we met at different points in each other's lives. One of us would always be ahead of the other. She would say 'spoilers' when I had something yet to come that she had already experienced. Sort of her catchphrase."

Bella chuckled.

"Earlier, when I went to go and see that man, I thought I had worked out what she meant. But I think I've only worked out the half of it."

"And what was that?"

He sighed. "I think I should continue where I left off with your story." The Doctor placed his half empty mug down on the table next to the bed. "Where was I?"

"The silence had just created me from Melody's…I mean River's DNA." Bella replied, still sipping her tea.

"Oh yes, right. You were being grown in a surrogate. I guess the silence were trying to keep the birth of you as human as possible. You see, another organisation called the Fandowi knew the silence were up to something. They didn't really think anything of it, until you were born."

"What happened then?"

"Well, the Fandowi found out a baby girl had just been born. They investigated and realised how you had been created. The Fandowi thought it was wrong and unnatural for life to begin like this. In their religion, they believe that no child should be created unless conceived by a Mother and a Father. This is why they weren't too bothered when Melody was born. But with you, in their religion they believed you should be dead. Well, actually, they still believe you should be dead."

Bella's eyes widened. "Am I safe? Travelling out in space with you? What if they find me?"

"Actually, I've already done something about that." The Doctor admitted. "When you leave the TARDIS, it will mask your identity. It works like it does with the translation. If another life form scans you, I've set it so it comes up with unknown."

"So they won't be able to find me?"

"Probably not. Anyway, the story. The Fandowi decided to launch an attack on the silence and there was a massive battle. Madame Kovarian fled with you and tried to find a place where you would be safe for the time being. But the rest of the organisation broke apart. The silence had either been killed in the battle or surrendered. It was just Madame Kovarian left. The Fandowi thought that you both had probably died so gave up with the attack."

"So, what happened next?"

"Well." He gestured towards Clara. "You were brought to 1989 London. Madame Kovarian obviously thought one of the only places you would blend in was Earth. Because you only have 1 heart and traces of human DNA you would pass as a human. But precisely London…"

"The same place Clara grew up..."

The Doctor nodded. "You see, there was no way Madame Kovarian could use you as a weapon anymore. She couldn't train you by herself and she couldn't risk the Fandowi finding out you were still alive. But she still wanted to complete the mission."

"Why did they want to kill you so badly anyway? So badly they would breed and create warriors to do it?" Bella asked. She looked up and down at herself and realised what she had just said. She was bred a warrior, a fighter and a murderer. That's why she was here, why she was alive and why she was breathing. Bella rubbed her temple and sighed. This was going to take a lot of getting used to.

"It wasn't all about killing me. All the silence wanted to do was to prevent a prophecy. Killing me was an easy way of making sure the prophecy never happened."

Bella frowned. "So, what was the prophecy?"

The Doctor took a deep breath.

"On the fields of Trenzalore, at the fall of the eleventh, when no living creature can speak falsely or fail to answer, a Question will be asked, a question that must never, ever be answered. "

-x-

It was late so Bella decided to go to bed. She desperately wanted to ask the Doctor more questions but she knew he just wanted to be alone with Clara. She guessed it would have to wait for tomorrow. On the way back to her room Bella stopped off at the kitchen and picked up her gun which Clara had left lying on the table. Even though she had never used it until now, she knew it worked and it gave her a sense of security in case her 'Aunt' Via came back. Bella hoped she never would.

When Bella got back into her room, the TARDIS started growling at her as usual.

"I'm not in the mood." Bella had groaned. Everyday she'd spent in the TARDIS so far had been an immense struggle, as the ship wouldn't let her open her bathroom doors or reach any of her things. For first time the TARDIS actually understood and hummed soothingly. It was a nice change to the usual.

When Bella got into bed she tossed and turned, thoughts pilling in her head. Her whole life had been a lie. She knew almost nothing about herself or why she was still here. All she could think about was her Aunt. How cruel she had been. Bella screwed up her eyes as she remembered the pain of a hit or a push to the ground. She turned over again, trying to get the thoughts out of her head.

It then occurred to Bella she was safe. Whatever happened in Trenzalore, the prophecy was obviously done and over with. She thought of Madame Kovarian, still out there living her life and Bella cursed. Why did Kovarian get such an easy ride for what she had done?

That's when the thoughts struck in Bella's mind. Revenge. She needed revenge. But how?

There was only one person she knew that may still have contact with Kovarian. One person that she knew would help her no matter what, even though they hardly knew each other. After all that had happened, she definitely owed Bella a favour.

-x-

The Doctor woke up the next morning with Clara in his arms. He didn't usually sleep, but he had done the whole night which surprised him. Clara unfortunately, had not moved from her position. She was still breathing steadily, but it was as if her mind had gone into standby.

The Doctor realised that he had dried out tear stains on his cheeks and remembered that he had cried himself to sleep. He felt a little uneasy because of this. All he wanted was for Clara to talk to him again. The Doctor kissed the top of her head and held her close.

It was all of a sudden he jumped up from his position. The Doctor could hear someone rattling about in the console room. For some strange reason, his immediate thoughts where burglars. He shook his head at his own stupidity. One, he thought to himself, nobody could get past the security of the TARDIS' doors. And two, they have someone else living in the TARDIS with them.

The Doctor sighed and got out of bed, making sure before he left the room that Clara was tucked in comfortably. He struggled putting on his dressing gown and slippers before storming down the passageway to the console room.

The Doctor knew Bella had broken the rules again, but of course, that wasn't a first. He sighed. He had only made seven rules. It wasn't that many! And out of the seven rules which he had only made two days ago, Bella had already broken six of them, numerous times. Number one, no touching the console unless he says so. Which, by the sounds of the noises coming from the console room right now, she was currently breaking that rule for about the 6th time.

Number two, no going into any rooms with a red flashing light above the door. The Doctor sighed, remembering what had happened only 2 days ago when the 3 of them had just returned from China. It was only a several hours before the incident happened that the Doctor had clearly given Bella this rule, but she had gone ahead and ignored him anyway. The door two down from Bella's had a red light above it, and Bella just couldn't resist opening it as she was going to her room to have a nap. What Bella didn't know, was that this door directly opened into a large tank full of vinegar. (The Doctor had decided on creating a room for this after his last encounter with the Siltheen) Anyway, Bella had gone ahead and opened it and the passageway floor flooded with vinegar, all the way up to The Doctor and Clara's bedroom further up the hall. This resulted in the 3 of them getting soaked with vinegar and stinking for the last couple of days, even after many washes. It had also taken hours for the Doctor to drain all the vinegar out of the corridor which had been a lake coming up to their knees.

Number three, no making a mess. Bella had already managed cover the kitchen in crumble ingredients, spill milk all over the floor (although this was the TARDIS' fault), accidently pulled down several rails in the main wardrobe when searching for a 1950's dress, covered the console room in her litter and oh yes, flooded the whole of the front corridor with vinegar. Number four she'd done more than once, no loud music. Although, she had only done this a few times to wind up the Doctor.

Number five, no weapons. She'd broken this rule twice due to her like of guns. She'd gone brought a stun gun on the TARDIS and also she'd been keeping a real one on herself somewhere. The Doctor didn't want to think where she could have been hiding it. The Doctor had actually been impressed that she hadn't yet broken number six, no pets. Well, she probably had, but The Doctor just hasn't found out yet.

And lastly number seven, no wondering off. Is there any point in elaborating on this one? She does it all the time. The Doctor entered the console room to see Bella typing a message to someone on the console screen. Before the Doctor could stop her, she'd pressed the send button.

"Bella!" He exclaimed. "Who are you sending messages to at this hour in the morning?"

Bella raised her eyebrows. "It's one in the afternoon."

The Doctor shook his head and checked the TARDIS time, to see that in their current location which was still 1957 Seattle, it was in fact 1pm. He really had been asleep for a long time.

"Why didn't you wake me up!" He whined.

"I did come into your room at twelve, but you looked so peaceful that I didn't want to disturb you."

The Doctor crossed his arms and muttered to himself, shoving Bella out of the way slightly to see what she had been doing. "How did you get my password to my messenger?"

Bella laughed. "Well, 'Clara Oswald' wasn't exactly hard to guess."

The Doctor blushed and went through his sent box. His eyes widened when he saw who she had messaged. "Bella!"

"What, I made sure I sent it to the right time zone, she's an archaeologist somewhere in my time."

The Doctor sighed. "Yes, but in my time, she's dead."

"The first time you met her she died!"

He frowned. "How do you know that?"

"Oh shit. I read your mind, I can't help it."

The Doctor jumped further away from her. He could do with Bella not knowing that much more about him. "The fact that you managed to read my mind shows we really need to train you to control it. It seems to be getting stronger now you know you can do it."

He sighed again. "Look, Bella, in my time, I'm a widower. I now have a new love in my life." The Doctor gestured towards the passageway. "This version of River is still married to past me. Do you realise who awkward that's going to be?"

"Duh, that's why I did it." Bella said sarcastically.

The Doctor scowled. "And the real reason why you did it?"

"She said 'Spoilers' right? Which obviously means she does reply to this message and does explain this whole thing with Clara and I. Hopefully she knows how to help her. And also, I want to meet her. Can you just allow me that?"

The Doctor knew she was right, but he couldn't help feel suspicious to what Bella was up to. He read the message that she had sent River.

_River,_

_I'm currently here *Space time co-ordinates* In 1957 Seattle. I urgently need to see you, it's very important. _

_The Doctor._

"How do you know how to enter space time co-ordinates?" The Doctor asked.

"I dunno, I just sort of did."

"And Bella! You signed the message from me!"

"Well, that was probably the only way to get her attention."

The Doctor groaned and Bella walked back to her room. He had a feeling having 3 stubborn, feisty and bossy women with him was not going to be the best experience. Oh, and on top of that, one of them was his unconscious girlfriend, another was his ex-wife who thinks she's still his wife and the other was his ex-wife's daughter and his girlfriend's best friend. Nope, this was not going to be awkward at all…

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*A/N: I'm sorry this chapter was short and a bit boring but it was necessary for the next chapter to make sense. I also PROMISE lots of whouffle in the next chapter! Did I just write River Song into a Whouffle fanfic? I think I did. Hope this doesn't cause any ship wars. What's happened to Clara? Will River be able to help her? And will River reveal the last part to Bella's story? This fic will probably only have a few more chapters, so we're getting close to the end! x **Please leave a review below!** Thanks for reading!*


	10. It's Never All Over

**The Time Travelling Trio **

**Chapter 10: It's Never All Over**

*A/N: Sorry this chapter took me a while to write! I've been busy with school this week etc, etc. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I hope some bits aren't too confusing, I find I have a habit of making things sound more confusing then they actually are;) Haha, so as promised there is some VERY fluffy whouffle in this chapter. (Like 'omg if this actually happened in Doctor who I would die from all the feels' Kinda thing.) I don't think I've ever seen a whouffle fanfic with River in before, so here you go, let's see how this works out. (Oh, and I don't have anything against River x Eleven shippers. Ship whoever you want to ship, but I've never shipped them myself and whouffle are my OTP so you can kinda guess how this will play out.)

Haha, ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, 11 will probably be the last chapter for this fanfic! (see what I did there ;) ) It turns out I have these stupid internal exams next week though so I will be so busy panic revising (haven't actually started yet, whoops) so I don't fail them all. This means I won't start writing Chapter 11 until next weekend and it may not be finished until later that week, I want to get the final chapter perfect. So sorry for the wait.

Finally, enjoy the chapter and thank you sooooo much for your support! I love reviews by the way and I've seen in the past week I've had thousands of views, so it would be nice to get some more reviews from you :) Love you guys, happy reading!x*

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They were running fast, panting hysterically and their legs ached terribly.

"Why is it whenever I agree to see you we always end up in danger?!" River exclaimed.

"This was not my fault!" The Doctor replied. "If you want someone to blame, blame your daughter!"

Bella scowled. "This was definitely not my fault! It was you that dragged me away from Elvis yesterday which was obviously going to make him angry!"

"Oh yes, because sticking your tongue down his throat was a sensible idea." The Doctor muttered.

"Excuse me, you were the one that was trying to get rid of Clara and I!"

"It was necessary to find out who you were!"

"Can we have this argument later?" River yelled. "We currently have 5 armed police officers chasing us across Seattle!"

"Yeah, so hurry up, you're slacking." Bella smirked at the Doctor.

"It's kind of hard to run when you're carrying a girl which is surprisingly heavy for her appearance!" The Doctor was carrying an unconscious Clara in his arms as they ran which was making it increasingly hard for him to keep up with the 2 women.

"I'll tell her you said that." Bella sneered. "It's even harder to run in high heels."

"I second that." River agreed.

"When does your teleport recharge again?" Bella panted.

River looked at the teleport device strapped on her wrist "27 seconds."

"No no no! I do not like teleports!" The Doctor complained.

"Well it's either that or we leave you here running for your life. Which do you suggest is the better option?" River asked.

"The teleport." The Doctor groaned.

"15 seconds."

"If my hair is messed up after this I'm going to kill you by the way." Bella said, glaring at the Doctor.

"This was not my fault!"

"Yes it was!"

"Oh shut up you two!" River demanded. "Two…one…"

Suddenly a bright light flashed before their eyes and they fell to the ground in their new location.

"Ouch, I think I broke a nail." Bella whined.

"Oh poor you." The Doctor replied sarcastically. They squinted there sore eyes and glanced around. It looked as if they were in a rundown street in modern day London.

"Well sorry, I didn't have a big chin like yours to break my fall." Bella said, getting off the floor and brushing dirt from the pavement off of her shorts. River laughed as she did the same thing.

"Don't encourage her!" The Doctor moaned. "I hate space jumping." He was crotched on the floor with Clara in his arms. He stroked her hair out of her face affectionately and River looked away. It had become _very_ obvious to her since she arrived that this Doctor was no longer hers.

River had teleported 10 minutes ago right outside the TARDIS after she had received The Doctor's…well, technically Bella's, message. What the Doctor hadn't realised, was that all night Elvis Presley had sent police officers to guard the TARDIS. This meant River was automatically surrounded when she arrived and when the Doctor and Bella opened the doors, the only thing they could do was run. It had been unfortunate that the Doctor had to carry Clara half way into the city.

"This place looks familiar." Bella said, glancing at their surroundings.

"It should do." River replied. "It's around the corner from where you lived as a child."

Bella studied her for a minute. The two women had only just been acquainted again for the first time in over 10 years. Even before that they had only met a few times which was obviously going to make things a bit awkward.

As soon as they started running from the police, the Doctor had to quickly introduce everyone.

"What is going on!?" River had shouted as they ran.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise there was police surrounding the TARDIS. I probably should have checked that."

"You don't say?" Bella had sighed.

"Who's she?" River had asked, gesturing towards Bella.

"That's funny, it's been a while but I thought you would recognise your own daughter!" The Doctor had replied. He thought he would lighten things up by adding a bit of humour into the conversation, but it didn't work.

River's eyes had widened and she almost stopped running. "Bella?"

"Wow, she remembered my name, that's a start…" Bella had rolled her eyes and River stared at her.

The Doctor had felt the tension building between them and jumped in. "Oh and this is Clara, I'm not sure if you've met Clara yet."

"Yeah, his unconscious girlfriend." Bella had deliberately said to make things more awkward.

The tension got worse then. River had felt a lump in her throat and looked from Bella, to the Doctor to Clara before saying. "I've heard of her…is she okay?"

The Doctor had shaken his head. "I'll explain once we stop running."

And that was that, the quick introducing of the four of them had been quite rushed. And Bella wasn't exactly on great terms with her Mother after what had happened in her childhood.

"What year is it?" The Doctor asked.

"It's the 15th May 2013. I'd say it's about Clara and Bella's time, may be a few weeks off."

Bella was still studying her Mother. River turned to face her. "Didn't anybody ever tell you it's rude to stare?"

"No, I didn't exactly have a Mum to tell me right from wrong, did I?"

River felt a wave of guilt pass through her. The Doctor could feel the burn that Bella had just given River and looked up at them uneasily.

"Bella, I…" River began. She stepped forward to try and touch Bella's arm, but Bella dodged her.

"Don't." Bella said before turning her back on River and walking off on her own up the street.

River turned to the Doctor. "Should I go after her?"

He shook his head. "Let her get her head around things, she can get really feisty that one."

The Doctor then felt the awkwardness as he and River were alone together for the first time.

River cleared her throat. "So, how did Bella come about travelling with you on the TARDIS?"

He raised his eyebrows. "She's best friends with Clara, but you already knew that, didn't you?"

River crotched down next to Clara's body so she could make eye contact with the Doctor. She paused before nodding. "That's the only reason you wanted to see me, wasn't it?"

The Doctor sighed. He knew River must feel miserable being around him and his new girlfriend. Her eyes said it all. "Listen, River, in my time we are no longer married. You have to understand that."

"How did it end?" She asked, even though she knew he wouldn't tell her.

"You know I can't tell you that."

"Did we leave things…happily?"

The Doctor sighed again before giving her a reassuring smile. "Of course."

River smiled slightly. "So, you're with Clara now?"

The Doctor looked down at Clara's emotionless, innocent face. "Yes. I need your help, River. I don't know what's wrong with her and I think there's a chance she could be dying." Tears formed in the corners of his eyes but he blinked them away.

"What makes you think I can help you?"

The Doctor's eyes darkened and he glared at her in a way she'd never seen him look at her before.

"Because you know what happened with Bella and Clara when they were children. And you're going to explain that to Bella and I so we can work out why Clara's brain has shut down so unexpectedly and…" The Doctor rubbed his face with his free hand, the other wrapped around Clara's shoulder. "I know you didn't choose to have a daughter. I know this was no more your choice then it was hers, but she's a person, River. I know Bella appears to have a tough exterior but she's still a frightened little girl inside that was abused by her Aunt and without a Mummy. And you're going to tell her why she had to live like that. You have to give her a sense of peace and security for the first time in her life. You have to let her know it's all over."

A tear escaped from River's eye and she quickly reached her hand to her cheek and brushed it away. "I can't tell her that. I wish I could but I can't."

The Doctor frowned. "River, you have to. It's not fair on Bella if she doesn't kn-"

River interrupted him. "No, not that. I just can't tell her it's all over."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not. It's never all over, sweetie." She could no longer look the Doctor in the eye. "When has life ever been so simple?"

-x-

They were still sat on the pavement and the Doctor was fiddling with his sonic screwdriver. The 2 of them hadn't spoken in a while so River was watching him read his sonic before bashing it with his free hand and holding it up in the air again.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

The Doctor carried on repeating these actions. "I'm trying to locate the TARDIS so I can fly it back here."

River snatched his sonic out of his hands and began copying the readings from her teleport device onto the screwdriver. She then trusted the screwdriver back at him and the TARDIS started to appear beside them. "Why didn't you just ask me for the space time co-ordinates?"

The Doctor muttered something inaudible whilst picking up Clara and taking her into the now fully appeared TARDIS. He walked towards to his and Clara's bedroom and River followed him. The Doctor went into the room and carefully placed Clara back on their bed.

River looked around the room oddly. "Is it me or does it smell really strongly of vinegar in here?"

"That would be Bella's fault again." The Doctor replied. "You know, she's an awful lot like you River."

"In what way?"

"Oh you know, just things she says and her attitude sometimes. It reminds me of you a bit."

River noticed how his eyes were fixated on Clara. The Doctor was tenderly rubbing her cheek and every so often kissing her forehead. He'd never acted so affectionate towards her. She felt a surge of jealousy.

"So, what happened to Clara?" River snapped slightly. She was impatient of watching him gaze at her.

"I was testing out Bella's telepathic abilities on Clara, but as soon as Bella started to read Clara's mind Clara started crying before passing out. Bella said she could here all of her past lives from entering my time stream screaming and it felt as if Clara's mind was burning. I can't wake her up. But I have a feeling you know why this happened."

"I haven't been to Trenzalore yet."

"Yes, but you know what happens there already."

River sighed and nodded. "Did I tell you how Clara survived?"

"No. I need you to tell me everything, River."

"You can't let Bella ever read Clara's mind like that again."

"Why?"

"Because I know I'm already dead once you reach Trenza-"

"How?" The Doctor interrupted.

"I know a lot of things I shouldn't. But you're missing the point. Bella is the lifeline between Clara and future me."

The Doctor frowned. "What?"

"Any timelord Mother is always in some way telepathically connected to their children."

"What has that got to do with Clara?"

"Why do you think Bella was already living around the corner from Clara's house when Clara moved down here from Lancashire when she was little? Why do you think Madame Kovarian encouraged them to be friends? Why do you think she let Bella live with Clara for 2 years when they were young?"

"I don't know!" The Doctor exclaimed. "That's why I'm asking you. I'm in the dark here River, I need answers."

"Madame Kovarian was creating a psychic lifeline between Bella and Clara. If she couldn't prevent you from reaching Trenzalore she would have to save you when the time came. The only way to do that is to make sure that in the future I am definitely called by Madame Vastra to a conference call. If I am psychically linked to Bella and she is psychically linked to Clara, we can…we did, stop her mind from dissolving inside of your time stream."

"Let me get this right. Madame Kovarian made sure Bella and Clara were friends, and left Bella to live with Clara for 2 years. I'm guessing she had already trained Bella's mind before hand to lock onto Clara's thoughts whilst they both slept in the same room. Over the course of two years these two would be incredibly psychically connected. However, they would be completely unaware of it. But Madame Kovarian had control over Bella's mind?"

"Not completely, but yes. Bella didn't even know Kovarian was training her mind to do this. This meant when Clara and I are both in Trenzalore Bella and I could save Clara's mind."

"But…how did all this happen without Bella knowing and why Clara? You could choose any person to save me…why her?"

"The Maitland's Mother was already dying. It was seen she would die the week Clara was due to leave. Kovarian knew this would convince Clara to not go on the trip. However, Bella would still go away. Enough time for you to get close with Clara and go to Trenzalore without Bella's distractions. On the night you were in Trenzalore, Bella would have been unconscious. When she awoke, she would have thought she had just fainted and not remembered a thing. That's why Bella can't go into Clara's mind. It reawakened the burning of Clara's head inside your time stream which we were trying to prevent. It's very confusing talking in your tenses instead of mine with this explanation. None of this has happened for me yet."

The Doctor understood. The perfect plan, but why Clara? Why not use Bella to send into his time stream?

"But why Clara? Why not use Bella?"

"A prophecy states a girl called Clara Oswald will save the Doctor at Trenzalore."

"Life shouldn't be led by prophecies." The Doctor complained. But he was still curious. "What was it?"

"A girl who's brave, a girl who's smart, a girl who holds the Doctor's hearts, saves him when the stars are no more, when he goes to Trenzalore. When she cannot watch him die, Clara Oswald will give her life." River sighed. "This means Kovarian didn't need to kill you. Her mission she was given by the silent was that your past was not rewritten at Trenzalore. If Clara could save you, you wouldn't need to die."

Tears welled in the Doctor's eyes. "So Madame Kovarian brought Bella to London where she knew Clara would move to a few years later, they would become friends and she would use Clara to save me at Trenzalore. But why would Madame Kovarian and you want to save Clara? Why not let Clara die?"

"Because Clara is perfect for you. Prefect in every way. You were destined to fall in love, Doctor. She saves you because she's in love with you. You save her because you're in love with her. I knew if I was dead and gone I could do this to make you happy. So I will. You were never really destined to be with me were you? I was born to kill you. But you were always destined to be with Clara."

The Doctor hugged River who he could tell was close to tears. "But why would Madame Kovarian want to save Clara?"

River pulled away from the hug and stepped back guiltily. "I'm so sorry."

The Doctor frowned. "About what?"

"Bella's been gone for almost twenty minutes roaming the streets of London her own." River felt a lump in her throat. "Madame Kovarian never left for long. If Clara didn't die, that means Bella would come back here from her travels to see Clara. And if Bella came back, Kovarian could use her as a personal weapon like she's always wanted to. As Bella is an adult now the Fandowi won't want to kill her anymore. Bella was costly to create. Kovarian wants Bella back. She thinks that Bella is still hers."

The Doctor glared at River. "Where is Bella?"

"I've got a horrible feeling she's been taken by Madame Kovarian. As I said, it's not all over yet."

-x-

"We have to go and find her." The Doctor instructed. But he paused and looked at Clara. River still hadn't told him how to help her. "River, you never said. How can I get Clara to wake up again?"

River guided The Doctor to sit down next to Clara on the bed. "All you need to do, sweetie, is go into her mind yourself. She's lost inside there. All you need to do is bring her back." She picked up one of the Doctor's hands and placed it on the side of Clara's head.

"But I don't want to…not without her permission…it seems wrong."

"She needs you… there's no other way. You're just going to have to do it."

The Doctor nervously placed his other hand on the other side of Clara's face. He noticed she was beginning to feel cold, as if she was fading. He desperately needed to save her. "Okay."

The Doctor closed his eyes and let his mind seep into Clara's. All he could see was darkness, but then he felt the burning. Light flashed in his mind and he felt all of her pain. The pain of dying over and over again. It was then he found her. The Doctor felt Clara awaken in her mind and she felt so scared and frightened. _"I don't know where I am."_ She thought.

"You're okay Clara, you're here with me. You're safe, I promise." The Doctor's lip was trembling as he spoke.

He suddenly felt the burning go away and Clara come forward to the front of her mind, back into place. Her whole body jerked forward and the two of them opened their eyes. It was only then the Doctor realised he was kissing her. Clara began kissing him fiercely back and both of their faces were wet with tears. The Doctor broke away and helped her sit up slowly before wiping the tears off her cheeks.

Clara suddenly realised she was shaking. "What happened?"

"It was all my fault again. I shouldn't of let Bella read your mind. It's very complicated but I'll explain it to you in a minute. Most importantly, are you okay?"

She nodded and smiled. "I just felt so weak and lost and in pain and then…" Clara grabbed her head with her hand. "Ow, it hurts."

The Doctor kissed her forehead and then reached into his large pockets and pulled out a pill. "Take it and stop thinking about what happened. It will make you feel better."

Clara took the pill and studied it. "What does it do?"

"It's like a painkiller for headaches. You don't need water, just swallow."

Clara did as he said and moments later she looked surprised. "Wow…that worked fast!"

The Doctor grinned. He loved it when little things he did amazed Clara. "But you're definitely okay, right?"

Clara straightened up more into a sitting position in the bed and rolled her eyes slightly. "I'm fine now, I promise. So, what did I miss?"

The Doctor turned round to see that River was no longer in the room with them. "Well, River is here somewhere and Bella…"

Clara raised her eyebrows. "Where's Bella?"

"Um…possibly been kidnapped by Madame Kovarian and possibly in great danger."

Clara's eyes widened to a glare and the Doctor shielded himself with his arm in case she whacked him one. "What?! How on earth did that happen? How long was I asleep?"

"Only for a day. It's all very complicated, I'll explain on the way!" The Doctor stood up and helped Clara off the bed before taking her hand and running through to the console room.

"You had one job." Clara muttered. "To keep Bella safe."

-x-

The Doctor, Clara and River arrived outside Bella's childhood home a few roads away. On the way the Doctor and River had explained everything to her which they had talked about whilst she slept. Clara couldn't quite believe what she heard. Had her and Bella been forced to be friends? They loved and cared for each other so much, surely their whole friendship couldn't be based on Kovarian's doing?

They stood outside the house. It was an average semi-detached urban housing estate home. It had 2 floors, the bricks were pale brown and the front consisted of a door and 4 windows.

"I thought they sold this place, once Bella went into care?" Clara asked.

River shook her head. "No, it's just been empty for a very long time."

"It seems a bit of a stupid place to kidnap someone. Surely anyone could guess Kovarian would hide Bella inside of her old house."

The Doctor shook his head as the 3 of them made their way up the small concrete drive and down the side of the building. "It's not just a house."

Clara frowned. "Of course it's just a house. I've been inside of it many times."

"It's also a gateway." The Doctor explained. "A portal to somewhere else."

They made their way into the garden and the Doctor opened the back door of the house with his sonic screwdriver. The lock clicked open.

The Doctor and Clara were about to walk inside but River stopped them. "No, I'll go alone, it will be too dangerous if we all go together."

Clara pushed her way through the door. "No! I'm going to find Bella. I can't just sit back and watch a woman that hardly knows her try and get her back. She's my sister!"

The Doctor took Clara by the shoulders and pulled her back out the door again. "Clara, listen, I know that you really care about Bella but his could be very dangerous. I can't watch you do it."

Clara glared at him. "I can't believe you're taking her side!" She gestured towards River with her hands angrily.

"There are no sides!"

"Yes, there are. And I'm going and you can't stop me." Clara tried to push through the doors again but River and the Doctor held her back. "Stop it! Let me go!"

"Clara, listen. River knows Kovarian's ways and will be better at bargaining with her. You are in no fit state to storm in there with no idea what you are doing. Here's what we'll do. You and I will wait outside the portal for River. If she doesn't return within half an hour we'll go in and find them both, okay?"

Clara tried to argue but she knew there was no use so finally agreed. They all went inside the house together and walked across the empty living room to the study across the hall. The Doctor soniced the lock to the study and opened the door. Before them further into the room they saw a huge purple spiral which looked like a burst of light.

River got out her gun which she always carried and steadied it in her hands. "Thirty minutes."

The Doctor sighed. "River, I don't think it's a very good idea to go in there pointing a gu-"

But before he could finish his sentence River had run into the portal. "Brilliant." The Doctor muttered sarcastically.

He turned to Clara who was staring into the portal anxiously. The Doctor took her hands to make her face him. The amount of sadness in her eyes at that moment made him almost crumble.

He looked down at his feet. "I'm the worst boyfriend in the universe, aren't I?"

Clara looked at him shocked. "What? Of course you're not! What would make you say that?"

The Doctor flailed his arms around signalling towards the portal. "Well, a good boyfriend wouldn't get you almost killed several times, put you in danger a lot and get your best friend abducted." He turned around and paced to the other side of the study, his voice beginning to croak. "You deserve so much better than me, Clara."

She shook her head and walked up to the Doctor, pulling his arm to make him turn to face her. Before he could say anything Clara had flung her arms around the Doctor's neck and pressed her lips to his passionately. Clara kissed him hard and he kissed her back, wrapping his arms tightly around her petite frame so she was as close to him as possible. They didn't stop for several minutes. Clara wouldn't let him break away, not that he really wanted to. Every few minutes they would gasp for air before kissing and kissing again. Their skin became hot with all the emotion and tears ran down their cheeks. But, not just tears of sadness, tears of joy. Lots of tears of love. They both lusted for each other so greatly because they knew with their relationship they were almost always in danger. They knew they were always at risk of losing each other. But all they really wanted to do was safely spend the rest of their lives together.

After they were properly out of breath, Clara pulled him into a hug. She held him as tightly as she possibly could and dug her fingers into the Doctor's purple tweed coat. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her back, closing his eyes to cherish the embrace. "I love you." She whispered.

"I love you too, Clara." The Doctor replied. "I love you more than anything. You mean everything to me."

"Then promise. Promise me you'll never let me go. That you'll never say you're not good enough again. Because you're perfect and brilliant and so, so caring. You love me like no other man would. You're the best boyfriend in the universe and I love you so much."

The Doctor smiled and more happy tears fell from his eyes. "I promise, Clara. You hold both of my hearts forever."

-x-

River looked around once she reached the other side of the portal. It was dark and cold and stunk badly. Of what, she wasn't sure. It looked as if she was in a dark underground dungeon. The bricks of the walls around her in the passageway she was in were old and stone. All River could hear was a creepy dripping sound which sent a chill down her spine. She pulled her PDA device out of her pocket and scanned the room with her free hand not holding the gun.

_"Scanning…Scanning…" _It spoke aloud. _"Location detected. Planet: Gordanhove. Earth years: 2013. Planet Status: Deserted. Scanning for lifeforms…"_

River began to walk slowly and as quietly as she could down the passageway, but the heel on her boots made an echoing click every time she took a step.

_"6 local life forms detected. 3 within a 5 metre range."_

River quickly tucked the PDA back in her pocket and spun around to see 3 scary looking men behind her. Before she could shoot them they had knocked the gun out of her hands and put a gag to her mouth, knocking her out.

River awoke in a dungeon cell. It was taking a while for her eyes to fully adjust. She was on the floor against a cold, damp wall with her hands cuffed behind her back. A big old fashioned metal door was locked in front of her with only a little rectangular peep hole to see through. The walls looked as if they were covered in thick moss and she could still smell that horrible stench from before. When her eyes had properly adjusted, River took a good look at the whole of the cell. 2 damp, dirty looking beds were propped up against the wall to her left. Sitting on one of them, watching her, was Bella. Also, with her hands cuffed behind her back.

"Bella?" River queried, still slightly disorientated.

Bella nodded and sighed.

However, Bella soon had a slightly amused expression on her face as she watched River struggle to her feet whilst trying to pointlessly pull at her handcuffs, knowing there was no way of breaking free. Much to her disappointment, the teleport device River previously had on her wrist was now gone. After a long period of competitive silence as River tried, and failed, to find any escape from the cell, she turned to back to Bella worriedly.

Bella raised her eyebrows and smirked. "So Mummy, how do you suggest we get out of here then?"

* * *

*A/N: This story is so close to completion! Will Bella and River make it out alive? You'll have to wait over a week to find out I'm afraid :( I'll leave you with that little cliffhanger. Also, if you enjoyed this story or have any comments or queries _**pleaseeee leave a**_**_ review__!_** The support has been great. Just to let you know I will be doing another series of whouffle fics after this, but it will be a completely different story. So if you've enjoyed this (which I'm really hoping you have haha) keep look out on here and tumblr. **  
**

thanks for reading!x*


	11. Not Everything Ends, Not Love

**The Time Travelling Trio**

**Chapter 11: Not Everything Ends, Not Love**

**(The Final Chapter)**

*A/N: So here it is! The Time Travelling Trio's final adventure. I just want to say thank you so much for all the support I've received whilst writing this. Almost 50,000 words later (Sorry about that) we've reached the end. I don't think I've received one bad comment which is absolutely amazing. I wanted this story to end on a happy note, but before we reach the end, there are still some plot twists along the way. I won't say much else, but thank you so much again for reading the story. It has been a pleasure to tell. As always, happy reading.*

* * *

"How long have I been in here?" River asked.

Bella looked up at the ceiling of the dungeon cell thoughtfully. "Um…about 15 minutes? Not long. Why?"

"The Doctor and Clara said they would come if I didn't return within 30 minutes."

Bella sighed. "So basically they're going to come in, get thrown in a dungeon cell too and then we'll all be stuck here?"

River nodded.

"So why did you come first anyway? Surely Clara would have wanted to find me."

"We thought it would be the safer option. I'll admit, I didn't think I would get caught that fast."

Bella smirked. "Yeah, wonder woman, saving the day."

River raised her eyebrows. "I do not think of myself like that."

"Yeah of course, otherwise you would have saved me when I was little, wouldn't you? Madame Kovarian explained the whole psychically linked thing to me when she dragged me here, by the way. It seems like the only person who you didn't give a shit about saving this whole time was me."

River stormed up to Bella angrily who was still sitting on the end of her bed. Bella then stood up and crossed her arms, smirking at the fact she was quite a bit taller than her Mother.

"Don't you dare say I didn't care about saving you!" River exclaimed. "Because you're wrong. I spent most of your early childhood trying to get Madame Kovarian to release you. But she wouldn't as she needed you to connect to Clara. After she'd done that, she'd still refuse to let you go. She'd torture you because I refused to give myself up to be her weapon again. I came back and tried to save you so many times Bella, but each time I put both of us more in danger. It was when you were 14, I managed to get Kovarian to release you. And you know how I did that? I told her I would kill a member of her family if she didn't. It was just coincidence that you happened to tell your school at the same time I managed to convince Kovarian to let you go. But I really wished you hadn't told your school at that time and they had never found out."

Bella was becoming very curious at what River was telling her and also felt a bit bad for being so harsh. "Why would it make a difference?"

"Because if you hadn't…then I would have looked after you instead."

Bella frowned. "You could've adopted."

River shook her head and sat down on Bella's bed. Bella sat down next to her. "They need all sorts of stuff for that. I don't live in this time, I don't have a house, a modern day job, plus you seemed to be settling down for once."

"What? In the hell on earth that was my old care home? Most of them there were little kids that stole and ruined all your things. Yeah, what a great life that was…"

River looked down at her lap. "I'm so sorry about everything. If I could have, I would've helped you. You must know that. I've always cared about you."

Bella raised her eyebrows. "You don't even know me."

"No, I've known you most of your life. You just don't know me."

"Okay then." Bella challenged. "Tell me some things about yourself."

"Such as?"

"Oh, I don't know, anything. Family, friends, interests. You're the one who says I don't know you."

"You're rather bossy." River joked before pausing. "Well, my Mum and Dad are called Amy and Rory, but they're gone now. I don't know of any other family. Most of the friends I have are my co-workers. And of course I'm married, to the Doctor in the past. I like to travel places. I get into a lot of trouble, mind."

Bella smirked. "I'm always the one that gets into trouble."

"So am I. Maybe that's something we've got in common."

Bella studied her for a minute. "You don't look anything like me."

"I wouldn't do, I've regenerated twice since I was born."

Bella gave River a funny look. "Regena-what?"

"Timelords have this ability that if they get killed, they can regenerate into a new body. They can do it 12 times. They're still the same person, but just with a different body. The Doctor is on his 11th body, I'm on my 3rd, but I don't have any regenerations left as I used them up to save him." River's eyes then widened as if she thought of something incredibly important. "Oh. Oh my goodness. Your DNA had been altered by the silence hasn't it?"

"Yeah…" Bella sighed. "Is there something else weird I should know about myself?"

"Bella. Let's say, you were creating the perfect warrior. What would be the best quality you could give it in the entire universe? Something all organisms do that you could prevent because of the timelord DNA you have in your hands?"

Bella shrugged. "You've got to understand that all I know about timelords so far is that they occasionally have multiple organs, they can invade people's thoughts and ironically even though they are called 'time' lords they are very bad at getting places on time."

"Time lords usually only have 12 regenerations."

"So?"

"If you had timelord DNA you could modify to create a warrior, you could give it unlimited regenerations."

"What would that mean?"

Their conversation was broken off by the opening of the cell door to reveal Madame Kovarian standing in the doorway with 2 armed guards behind her.

"It means, Bella, that you are immortal." Madame Kovarian grinned. "…and so much more."

-x-

The Doctor and Clara were sat together on the floor of the empty, dirty, old study. Clara was sat across the Doctor's lap, snuggled into his chest with her head lying in the crook of his neck. They were sitting in silence, with the Doctor twirling strands of her hair around his fingers.

"Doctor?" Clara asked.

"Yes?"

"How long has River been gone now?"

The Doctor swallowed. River had been gone just over half an hour now. He had been hoping that Clara wouldn't notice, but he couldn't exactly lie to her. "34 minutes."

Clara immediately jumped up from his lap to her feet. "Come on then, we have to go and find them!"

The Doctor leapt up also and grabbed Clara by the arm. "Slow down, we need to work out a plan before we go in. If River's been gone for this amount of time it means Kovarian's probably caught her. And if Kovarian has caught someone like River, we have no hope."

"So what do you suggest?"

The Doctor pondered. "When we get in, we've got to be on the lookout at all times and make sure we don't get caught. We need to find a way we can confront Madame Kovarian without her trapping us straight away."

Clara groaned. "We're just going to have to make it up as we go along, aren't we?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

Clara smiled and grabbed his hand. "Well come on then, we don't want to waste time. Geronimo!"

She pulled the Doctor with her and they both went running straight into the portal before them. The next thing they knew they had hit the cold stone floor of the dungeon corridor as River had.

"Where are we?" Clara queried.

The Doctor glanced around. "It looks like Gordonhove. A tiny deserted planet with a cascade of dungeons running beneath the crust."

They heard the sound of footsteps and the Doctor dragged Clara into the nearest door to hide. It was a small empty cupboard to the side of the corridor where the portal was located. From further up the corridor appeared 2 of the 3 scary guards that had caught River earlier.

"I could have sworn I heard voices." One of them said, looking down the passageway.

"I don't think anyone's hear Mick. We need to go and attend to Kovarian. She needs help with the girl. We can't risk her escaping, the plan would be ruined."

With that the 2 men left the passageway again and the Doctor and Clara stayed silent until their footsteps could no longer be heard.

"What plan?" Clara asked. "I thought she just wanted Bella back?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't know what it is, but I have a feeling they want a lot more from Bella then just herself."

"What more could they want from her?"

"Bella is almost the perfect being. With training she could be the most lethal warrior in existence."

"Which means?" Clara asked as the Doctor opened the door to the cupboard and they proceeded to follow where the guards had just disappeared off to down the corridor.

"There's an awful lot Bella could give them which could change the universe as we know it."

-x-

Each of the men with Madame Kovarian grabbed Bella and River and lead them down a large series of winding corridors. They finally reached a large modern room which looked completely different from the rest of the dungeons. Instead of stone floors and damp brick walls this room had shiny metal walls and floors with 2 large computer screens on the walls. There was also a weird looking futuristic chair in the corner of the room with lots of wires attached to it running into various machines. These machines had wires leading out into another room beyond this one which looked like a massive hall. Madame Kovarian got a tablet out of her pocket and starting flicking through information on it before lifting her head to look at Bella and River. She then returned it back to her pocket and walked towards them. Each man had a firm grip on one of the women, who still had their hands cuffed behind their backs.

"Bella, Melody, how lovely it is for us all to be reunited again." Madame Kovarian sneered.

"You're a complete bitch." Bella yelled.

River sighed and tutted at Bella's immaturity.

"I do have to say, I did do a good job of raising both of my girls didn't I?" Madame Kovarian continued, circling Bella and River and ignoring the outburst.

"I am definitely _not_ your girl." Bella growled.

Madame Kovarian ignored her again. "Both…so cunning, manipulative, clever and…" She trailed one of her fingers down Bella's cheek, who tried to shake her off instantly. "So pretty."

"What do you want with us?" River asked.

Madame Kovarian stepped back and chuckled. "I don't particularly want anything with you. But your daughter…yes. I'm very interested in her."

"Just my luck." Bella muttered sarcastically.

The two men who had just been in the corridor looking for the Doctor and Clara stepped into the room. "We're ready to go, Ma'am." Mick said.

Madame Kovarian nodded. "Good. As I was saying, I wanted Bella to be my personal weapon. You see, over the past years whilst I was looking after you, Bella, I've encountered a lot of enemies. But it was as I was trying to fight these enemies, I realised what great a resource I have and all the possibilities."

The Doctor and Clara appeared in the doorway. They hid behind the frame trying to be unnoticed, but as River and Bella were facing the doorway themselves the 2 women spotted them.

"What were those possibilities?" River asked.

"With all these enemies, I need to have the most powerful weapons in the universe and I can't do that with just one girl."

"I don't understand." Bella said.

Kovarian smiled. "Yes you do. You just don't know you do. You have all this knowledge, all these thoughts inside your head which I've locked away. Thoughts you don't even know you have."

Kovarian clicked her fingers and Bella lurched forwards and started to scream in pain.

"Bella!" Clara called from the doorway. The Doctor tried to put his hand over her mouth but it was too late, they'd been spotted. The remaining 2 guards caught the Doctor and Clara and dragged them into the room.

"The Doctor and his impossible girl. How good of you to make it." Kovarian smirked.

"What have you done to her?!" Clara exclaimed, who was watching Bella beside her scream in agony.

"I've unlocked all that timelord knowledge, it's seeping its way into her mind. It's a little too much for her to take in at once. It's causing a little pain."

"A little?!" Bella screamed. "I'll show you a fucking a little pain!" She tried to push against the guard but he held her back steadily and Kovarian just laughed.

"Anyway, I'll continue telling you about my plan. I need more of an army of warriors with the skills like Bella to help me win victory. If they were trained to their optimum ability, I could have some of the best warriors in the universe. I could conquer the universe."

River and the Doctor exchanged worrisome looks.

"But you only have one, don't you?" Clara questioned.

"Yes, you're quite right." Kovarian walked back up to Bella who had stopped screaming. "But not for long."

The man who was holding Bella dragged her to the chair at the side of the room. He undid her handcuffs and locked her arms on to the arm rests instead. He then locked in her ankles and put a belt around her torso. A wired mechanism was placed over her head and she struggled fiercely to break free.

"What are you doing to me?!" Bella shouted.

"I have been very busy here since I abandoned you on Earth 10 years ago. I have created the most efficient machine in the entire universe for growing life."

It was if a light bulb went off in Bella's head. She was suddenly brighter than before. "Oh my god, you're going to extract my DNA…my existence…and grow thousands and thousands of mutant artificial timelord warriors in that hall and use them to take over the universe."

"Kovarian, you can't do this. This is incredibly dangerous and unnatural. This has never been done before; you won't know how to control them." The Doctor exclaimed.

Kovarian smirked again. "It's a risk I'm willing to take to rule the universe."

"But you'll kill Bella!" River cried.

"Yes." Madame Kovarian responded. "This is the only way we can kill her as she is an immortal being, by keeping her wired to this chair. She won't be able to regenerate in time and she will die. But who needs Bella when I have extracted her and have thousands of living copies? Well, they won't look anything like her, but the DNA will work just fine."

Clara started to cry and struggle to break free. "But you can't kill her! You can't!"

"Oh Clara, Clara, Clara." Kovarian said, walking towards her. "You care about your friend so much, even though the only reason you're friends with her is because I made sure of it."

Bella and Clara both shook their heads. "No." Clara replied. "I would have been best friends with her anyway, without your influence."

Kovarian sighed. "Actually, you're probably right. On the first day I took Bella to that wretched play school you were the first person she talked to and started to play with. You both made it far too easy for me."

Bella and Clara both smiled at each other for a moment.

"But enough with this pointless chitchat. I have a universe to conquer and none of you can stop me. Mick, turn on the extractor! Bella, say your goodbyes."

-x-

The extractor whirred up and Bella started screaming. Clara began crying hysterically, pushing against the guard to make him let her go. Of course, this was no use. The whole chair began to flash and Bella screamed louder and flashing also came from inside the large hall in the next room.

"Bella!" Clara screamed. She turned to the Doctor to shout for him to help, but it took her a moment to realise he was no longer there. "Doctor?" She murmured, trying not to get Madame Kovarian's attention. River turned her head round to see the guard who had been holding the Doctor passed out in the floor.

"River, what is going on?" Clara hissed.

River shrugged. But suddenly, they all fell to the ground at the sound of an agonising piercing noise. The guards dropped River and Clara to hold their ears. Madame Kovarian did the same and suddenly the whole chair with Bella in stopped flashing. The whole system became lifeless.

The Doctor's head popped up from behind a computer screen on the other side of the room to where River and Clara were knelt on the floor. They both ran over to him and Madame Kovarian cursed. The Doctor smiled at the women and undid River's handcuffs with his screwdriver.

"Didn't you think I was being a little bit quiet?" The Doctor asked once the noise stopped. "Finding the pressure point on that guard was easier than I thought. But then again, they're all experiment human mutations, aren't they?"

Suddenly, there was a small bang and sparks appeared from all the machines. "Oh, and I just destroyed all the systems, sorry about that." He said sarcastically. The guards were all strangely passed out on the floor and Kovarian was looking about helplessly.

The Doctor stormed up to her and his face turned to rage. "I'm giving you your last warning Kovarian, leave this planet right now and never try anything like this again. Go and live a low key life and no harm will come to anyone here."

Kovarian did her signature smirk, pulled a gun out of her pocket and pressed it to the Doctor's head. "And what makes you think I would do that?"

All of a sudden there was a bang and the Doctor and Clara ducked to the floor. River was standing above them with a tiny pistol in her hands aimed at Kovarian who was now on the ground, gasping for breath. She had a shot wound through her chest which was bleeding exsessively. River quickly picked up Kovarian's gun which she had dropped.

"But…we took…your gun…" Kovarian gasped.

"I keep an extra on me, just in case."

Kovarian's eyelids dropped and her body became stiff and pale. All the life was getting sucked out of her so quickly. The 3 of them were watching her die. The Doctor knelt beside her and looked for life signs. She was gone. No matter how much the Doctor hated the woman for what she had done, watching her die was not what he wanted. Why did it seem the people he cared about always thought killing was the right thing to do?

"River!" The Doctor exclaimed. "We didn't have to kill!"

"Oh yes we did. She was about to kill you and Bella…" The 3 of them looked up to see Bella lying motionless in the chair.

"Bella!" Clara cried again. They ran up to the chair and the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to free Bella from the locks.

The Doctor lifted her out of the chair, laid her on the ground and the 3 of them knelt around her. He checked Bella's pulse and gave River another anxious look. River had tears forming in her eyes.

"Is she okay?!" Clara cried. "Doctor! Tell me she's going to be okay!" Clara held Bella's hand and moved her blonde locks out of her eyes. "Bella, don't go! Please don't go!" She cried harder and The Doctor put his arm around Clara's shoulder. "Please Bella, I need you."

River pulled her PDA out of her pocket and scanned Bella. From the tears falling down her cheeks and the sadness in her eyes a small smile crept onto her lips. "It's not too late. It stopped just in time."

Clara looked to the Doctor confusedly. "What does she mean?"

The Doctor got to his feet and pulled Clara up with him. "Clara, we all need to step back…"

-x-

The Doctor, Clara and River walked further away from Bella's body. Abruptly her eyes darted open, and Clara tried to run forward to help her. The Doctor grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back. "Clara, stay back."

"But what's going on?!" Clara exclaimed.

Bella started shaking and looked towards the Doctor and then to River. "But I don't want to."

"Do you understand what is happening?" River asked. Bella responded with a nod.

"Can someone please tell _me_ what's happening!?" Clara yelled.

"We saved her just in time. She's dying, but she has just enough time to regenerate." The Doctor told her.

Clara stared at him. "What? Like you do? She's going to change faces?"

The Doctor nodded.

"Aw, but I like being tall and blonde." Bella moaned, rising to her feet. Her whole body had started to lightly glow and her skin had become sweaty and hot.

"Just focus on what you want to look like." River said. "Timeladies can usually choose their appearance."

"Wow, there's a variety of choices." Bella grinned.

"But you're no longer going to look like Bella." Clara said, wiping away her tears.

"But she'll still be Bella." The Doctor reminded her. "Just like when you went into my time stream. I looked different but it was still me."

Clara smiled and nodded before putting her arms around his waist. The Doctor wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she leant her head to his chest.

"Urgh!" Bella moaned. "This is getting painful." She was now glowing brightly and looked almost if she was about to burst into flames.

"Yes, it is quite painful. Should have mentioned that." The Doctor explained.

Bella rolled her eyes. "It looks like this is it. Bye guys, see you on the other si-"

Before she could finish her sentence her head was thrown back and her arms flew out from her sides. Where Bella's head and hands had been there was blasts of bright light and fire burning at her skin. The Doctor, Clara and River jumped back further and all the machines near Bella caught on fire. Even though the 3 of them where now on the other side of the room, they could still feel the heat radiating from her there. They watched as Bella's features began to change underneath the light. Her expression looked slightly as if she was screaming but there was no sound coming from her mouth. After about a minute she fell to the floor out of breath and all the energy and light stopped. The lights in the room sparked and went out so they were all in darkness. It took a couple of seconds for the other 3 to react.

Clara was the first to and ran up to Bella and helped her off the floor. Bella held her head and groaned before Clara pulled her into a fierce hug. "Don't make a habit of dying on me, Bels."

"I'm not counting on it." she croaked, not used to this new voice.

The Doctor and River walked closer and the Doctor pulled the women away from each other so he could get a first proper look at Bella. The room was now too dark to see her new features from far away.

The Doctor studied her with his mouth open in astonishment and fury. "That's not fair! It's her first regeneration and she's already ginger! I've always wanted to be ginger!"

River handed Bella her PDA so she could see her reflection. She had long red hair running down her face and big dark green eyes. Her skin was paler and she had some freckles across her slightly flatter nose. "Well, it's slightly different from what I was aiming for, but it will do." Bella still looked around the age of 24 and was still about the height of 5'10. Bella had also kept her mischievous smile and unnerving eyes which she darted at the Doctor. "Stop staring at me."

He stepped back and straightened his bowtie nervously. "No…I…it's just…you look a lot like someone I used to know."

"Yes." River agreed. "She looks a lot like her grandmother."

"Amy?" Clara asked.

The Doctor nodded. Bella did have an almost uncanny resemblance to Amelia Pond. However, Bella had a slightly thinner face with more prominent cheekbones and a marginally darker complexion.

Bella felt awkward with the 3 of them examining her new face. "Oi, will you all please stop gawping at me?" She complained. "You look like goldfish."

It was then Bella noticed Kovarian lying on the floor, surrounded by blood with a bullet in her chest. They all turned silent for a while as Bella slowly walked up to her limp body and stared at it. Nobody said a word. It was as if Bella was thinking about everything. She didn't look particularly pleased or upset. Just thoughtful. This was the woman that brought Bella up. This was the woman who tortured her, captured her and ruined her life. When Bella was lying in her bed last night, all she could think about was getting revenge on Kovarian. What Bella had wanted to do which none of the other 3 knew was that she wanted River to help her find Kovarian, but Kovarian ended up catching Bella herself. Bella wanted to see Kovarian suffer. Bella had wanted to see her die. Maybe even kill Kovarian herself, all for some security and closure. But even though Bella had been unconscious, she knew who had done it. It wasn't going to be the Doctor, the softy who couldn't 'sport a gun'. It wouldn't be brave heart Clara, who couldn't kill a living soul. It would be her Mother, who had all the reason like Bella to want to see Kovarian's end. After several minutes standing in the darkness, Bella looked up at the Doctor, Clara and River who were waiting nervously on her response. "It was the right thing to do."

The Doctor shook his head sternly. "No it wasn't. She's died a preventable death. Kovarian was a woman that did the most horrible things but she didn't deserve to die without reaching a compromise. Nobody deserves to die."

"Nobody deserves to be tortured. But there is a difference between torture and death. When people get tortured they wish to die." Bella fought back tears so Clara moved next to her and grabbed her hand. "Torture is causing someone pain and agony purposefully to make their existence unbearable. But death is the departure from reality. Death is a horrible thing. It may cause pain, cause grief and may sometimes fall upon people far too soon. But death is justice in the way it causes no more pain yet no more happiness. It is justice for evil people like her."

The Doctor stared at Bella. He had never heard her share such a philosophical and knowledgeable opinion before. The timelord brain Kovarian had unlocked really was developing her understanding and thoughts. "No one deserves to die." The Doctor corrected. "But not everybody deserves to live."

"Justice is a difficult thing. I couldn't risk Madame Kovarian killing the Doctor or you. This had to all end and it had to end right now."

The Doctor sighed and turned towards River. "I thought you said it's never all over?"

She smiled. "It depends what you mean by 'it'. All of the business with Kovarian is over. But it's us four that are still here. Something that connects us together in some way. Not everything ends. Not love, not always."

River glanced at Bella who released Clara's hand and crossed her arms.

"Oh my gosh, do you ever stop talking in over dramatic sentences and riddles?" Bella groaned.

Clara snorted, the Doctor raised his eyebrows and River was speechless. At that, Bella spun on her heel and began to walk out of the room. "Come on then, let's get out of this hellhole. It stinks and I don't want that portal closing in on us."

The Doctor agreed, grabbed Clara's hand and the 3 of them trailed after her.

"Well…" Clara chuckled. "At least we know she's still definitely the same old Bella."

-x-

"There you go sexy." The Doctor cooed. "The console is completely clean. Top to bottom, leaver to button, spotless!" He'd just finished giving the TARDIS' console room a good old scrub down for the first time since Bella had arrived and littered it with mess. It seemed strange to be able to see the entire floor again and not having the railings covered in jackets and handbags.

Clara, Bella and River were all in different places within the TARDIS. Bella was in her room, deciding whether or not the clothes she owned currently suited her new appearance. Clara was getting some sleep in her and the Doctor's room as she was still exhausted from getting lost in her mind the evening before. And lastly, River was in the library reading and relaxing for a while, wasting some time before she left. It had been quite an exhausting day for them all.

It had been a few hours since they had departed to the different parts of the ship. Bella finally emerged from her wardrobe now dressed in an oversized red jumper and some skinny jeans instead of her pastel top and tiny shorts she was wearing earlier.

"Talking to your box again?" Bella teased as she walked up the steps to the console.

"Yes! She's been very upset with you for making it so messy in here!"

"You said before your box doesn't like me, why?"

The Doctor sighed and leant back against the console. "She doesn't like you because you are a timelord altered by the silence. This TARDIS only really likes Galifrayan timelords, not artificial ones."

Bella nodded. "Do you like me?"

The Doctor was a bit taken aback by her question. "What do you mean?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Do you still hate me? Or are we friends?"

"I've never hated you, Bella. I just thought that you were a trap. I thought you could be here to hurt Clara and me and I'm very sorry for thinking that. Because beyond the bad language and the attitude, I guess you are quite a lovely person. I know you would never want to hurt us."

Bella grinned. "And I guess beyond the craziness, the mood swings and constantly getting us into danger you're quite a nice guy."

The Doctor smirked and Bella rolled her eyes again.

"Also…thanks for saving my life today. I think I'd be dead right now if you hadn't gone all James Bond on us earlier."

The Doctor winced slightly. "I know we don't get along that well Bella. I know we can drive Clara and each other crazy. But I do care about you. I'm so sorry for everything. If I hadn't been so eager to live you wouldn't have gone through what you did as a child. It pains me to know I caused that like it pains me to think of Clara in my time stream. This has all been my fault."

The Doctor looked genuinely upset and Bella's eyes softened. "But if you hadn't I wouldn't be alive."

The Doctor shrugged. "You might be. We don't know what the silence could have planned. Hopefully it's ended for good. I guess in a way you saved _my_ life. So thank you, Bella. But…don't make it a habit of being this nice so often. It's creepy."

Bella laughed and knocked his arm. "I think you'll find Mr Spaceman, that I am a very nice person."

"And I think you'll find you're a spaceman too. Well, a spacewoman."

Bella's smile dropped and she shrunk against the console. She sighed and paused before speaking. "I'm so confused with who I am, Doctor." The Doctor felt guilty as she looked herself up and down. "I mean, this isn't my body. Well it is, but it's not who I was this morning. It's so scary. I feel like a part of me has died. I feel like I'm living as someone else."

The Doctor realised that in a way, him and Bella were very similar. So many friends yet so lonely. So much loss and hurt occupied their minds. The fact they were both so clever and the fact they were going to live so long.

"It's a hard life." The Doctor explained. "You will watch the ones you love die and grow old as you don't age. But you will also meet a lot of people and do a lot of things. You will treasure the happy times and spend as much time with the ones you love before it's too late. Think of your life as a gift Bella. Use your infinity wisely."

"What does being a timelord mean though?"

"Being a mad woman without a box."

Bella laughed. "I am _not_ mad!"

The Doctor straightened up and ran round the other side of the console, fumbling inside a compartment for something. "I got the TARDIS to make something for you. But don't show it off in front of Clara or she'll want one too. The reason I think _you_ should have one because only timelords really know how to use all its functions to its full potential. I think it could help you in a way to get some independence and control of your life."

Bella looked intrigued. "What is it then wonder boy?"

The Doctor finally pulled it out of the control board with a puff of smoke and handed it to her. Bella felt the cool metal in her hands. "A sonic screwdriver?"

"Just a sonic stick. Sonic screwdrivers are my thing. But it has all the functions as mine. It could be very useful to you. Carry this instead of that gun of yours. It's a much better tool."

It was about 20cm long plain silver metal with a few buttons and light sensors on it. "Thanks. I guess this could be quite useful."

Bella suddenly spun round and buzzed her sonic at the console. This caused a huge bang and lots of flames. She started laughing as the Doctor ran around trying to put out the fire. "Bella! What did you do that for!?"

"Your box deserved that for being so horrible to me the past few weeks."

Bella then chuckled and walked out of the console room. "I'll go and fetch the others."

The Doctor was left groaning as he put out the fire and made sure no harm was done. _Why did Bella always have to cause so much trouble?_

-x-

The 3 woman walked back into the console room about 5 minutes later once the Doctor had successfully put out the fire. He huffed and puffed a bit at Bella when she came in gesturing towards some burnt leavers but she just giggled.

Clara sleepily walked over to the Doctor and wrapped her arms around his waist. He put his arm around her shoulder and stroked her hair.

"So, everybody, what's happening? Where are we going?" The Doctor asked, turning towards the console screen readying himself to fly to a new destination.

"Well, I'd like to go back to where I came from this morning. Me and the team are about to go on another trip around space and time. I'd get fired if I missed it." River responded.

The Doctor nodded and the TARDIS flew back to River's work station, making its usual whirring noises.

"Is that what you're going to do now? Go and see the stars?" Bella asked.

"It's what we do regularly. We're archaeologists."

"But don't you ever get lonely? Just you and your co-workers?" Bella asked again.

River sighed and glanced at the Doctor. "Yes, I suppose I do. Sometimes. But I'm travelling through space and the stars, I can't really complain."

The TARDIS silenced and the Doctor pressed the button that opened the TARDIS' doors. "We're here."

"This is me then." River said. She turned to the Doctor and Clara. "It was nice seeing you again. And I do wish you both the best."

"Thank you." Clara replied.

"Goodbye, River." The Doctor said, saluting her.

River chuckled. "Until the next time."

She then turned back to Bella, who had her arms crossed and was looking at River wearily. She stepped towards Bella shyly.

"I'm so glad I got to see you again so we could make peace. So you knew what actually happened. I'm just sorry you had to regenerate in the process."

Bella smiled. "Yeah, well, I've decided I actually quite like the new me. I'm still tall and look how cool the colour of my hair is!"

The Doctor grunted jealously.

"It's okay, you know." Bella continued. "I understand. I just…want you to know that I know this wasn't your fault. Thank you, for everything."

River found herself smiling back and before she knew it Bella was giving her a hug. She hugged her back and Clara felt herself smiling also.

The Doctor grinned at Clara and moved his hand into hers. Watching family forgive and forget was a humany-wumany lovey-dovey moment, he decided.

The women broke apart from their hug and as River was heading towards the TARDIS doors, she suddenly turned back around to face Bella. "Come with me."

Bella looked shocked and slightly confused. "What?"

"Come with me. Come with me and travel the stars. Because you're right, Bella. I am lonely. And you're the only family I have left now. So who is better to get to know then my own daughter? I watched you grow up from the shadows, but this time I could be there for real. I could get to know Bella Scott properly, this time."

Bella looked at her stunned. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. But lose the Scott. That's a stupid name made up by Madame Kovarian. You're a Pond."

The Doctor beamed but Clara's face fell. Even though she knew it would be a great opportunity for Bella to go off with her Mum and have adventures of her own she would miss her best friend again. They'd only just been reunited again after 2 years being apart. Now she would gone again. Clara didn't like to admit it but she loved having Bella around. She really was like a sister to her and they had a friendship greater then you could imagine. They shared almost everything will each other and Clara would hate to lose that.

"But, surely I wouldn't be able to just come with you?" Bella queried.

"Are you kidding?" River replied. "With timelord knowledge like yours they'd _beg_ you to come with us. And I could train you in ways Kovarian wouldn't. I could help you understand what being part human and timelord is like. So, do you want to come with me?"

Bella looked from River to Clara. Bella also dreaded the thought of leaving her best friend and everything they shared. But going with River would be a new adventure. Bella could get to know the Mother she never thought she would know. She'd have a family and someone who understood what her life had been like.

Clara forced an encouraging smile at Bella put helplessly no words could reach her tongue. The Doctor realised that Clara would really be upset to see Bella go and squeezed her hand comfortingly. Bella stayed silent, still looking back and forth trying to make up her mind.

"I…um…" She started, but the words trailed off.

River shook her head. "No, it's okay, I understand. You want to stay here with Clara." She began to walk towards the door again. "Goodbye, Bella."

"No, wait!" Bella called just before River reached the TARDIS doors. "I'll come with you."

River grinned. "Really?"

Clara felt her fake smile fade again and she tried herself to stop looking upset.

Bella turned to Clara. "I want to stay here with you Clara, I really do. But, you don't want me here all the time. Not really. Threes a crowd. I feel like I'm always in the way of you and the Doctor. You guys want to live here on your own, you don't want me hanging around you all the time whilst you're trying to get on with your lives. But this, this could be a new beginning for me, you know? River's lonely, she needs family with her. I want to get to know the Mum I thought I never would."

Clara nodded silently and Bella walked up to her and gave her a hug making the Doctor release his hand. Bella whispered in her ear. "Don't think you've gotten rid of me for good, Clar. I'll miss you too much."

-x-

_Goodbye_

Bella was sat on her suitcase on her bed in her room, trying to squash the remainder of her belongings inside. River had left momentarily to go and tell her boss about Bella, leaving her to pack all of her belongings. Bella had stuffed them all into 1 large 'bigger on the inside' suitcase which the Doctor had given her. But with the amount of things Bella had, it still didn't seem to be big enough.

Clara walked into the doorway of Bella's room, watching from behind as Bella jumped up and down on her case, trying to get the zip across. She finally managed it and stood up with her hands on her hips in triumph, to see Clara in the doorway.

"Hey Clar." Bella said, beckoning her in as she pulled her case off of her bed and onto the floor. Clara sat on the end of Bella's bed and glanced around at her now slightly empty room. Bella sat down next to her and Clara rested her head against Bella's shoulder.

"It's weird seeing you with red hair and such pale skin." Clara finally said. "Where's the boisterous Barbie we used to know?"

They both chucked and Bella sighed. "It's weird. But it's new and I think I like it."

Clara paused for a moment before whispering. "I don't want you to go."

Bella put her arm around her. "I'll miss you so much. But you know I get in the way here. You don't want me around whilst you're off snogging with your boyfriend under the stars."

"But I won't be able to chat to you about stuff or just have a laugh with. I missed you so much when you went travelling. These past few weeks you've been back have been like the good old times. I missed what it was like when we hung out as teenagers. It felt like that again, you know?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah, I know. But the Doctor has now fixed my phone. You can call me and text me whenever. Plus I'll see you again, sooner or later. I always end up coming back to you, don't I?"

"You're like a cat, can't get rid of you."

They both laughed again and smiled. Bella got up from the bed and grabbed the handle of her suitcase before lugging it into the doorway. "C'mon then Miss Oswald, I don't want to keep Mummy waiting."

Clara found herself laughing again and helped Bella get her suitcase into the console room. The Doctor and River were in there talking about her archaeology work and looked up when they came in.

"Ready to go Bella? The ship leaves in 30 minutes. The Doctor dropped us back here a day late so we don't have much time I'm afraid." River glared at the Doctor who adjusted his bowtie.

"Yes, well, the TARDIS was having a bit of time confusion after Bella carelessly caught it on fire!"

Clara raised her eyebrows. "I'm not even going to ask."

Bella walked over to River and The Doctor put his arm around Clara.

"Well look at this Doc, you're finally getting rid of me." Bella joked. "But don't get your hopes up too high. I'll be back one day."

Clara walked forward to Bella and threw her arms around her.

"Try not to get into too much trouble, yeah?" Clara instructed. "And try not to die again until I next see you."

"I'll try."

"Love you Bels."

They let each other go and smiled. "Love you too Clar."

Clara held back her tears. "And River, keep an eye on her. You never know what stupid thing she'll do next."

The four of them laughed and River nodded. "Don't worry about that."

Bella then stepped towards the Doctor and smirked. "Well, this is goodbye wonder boy."

"I suppose it is." The Doctor tried to say goodbye with a salute but Bella gave him an unexpected hug instead. The Doctor hugged her back awkwardly and Clara and River chuckled.

Bella quickly whispered into his ear. "Don't let go of Clara, she's good for you. You need her. Plus, if you dare break her heart I will hunt you down and kill you myself. Understood?"

"I could never let her go, I love her too much." He whispered back.

Bella released him and grinned. "Goodbye guys."

Her and River began to walk out of the TARDIS doors and The Doctor wrapped his arm back around Clara's shoulder tightly. "Goodbye, Bella." She called.

Bella turned around and smiled back at them one last time.

"Goodbye, trouble." The Doctor mumbled.

-x-

The Doctor flew the TARDIS away and Clara stood next to him not making a sound. He released the controls and turned to her, putting his hands around her waist. "It looks like it's just you and me now, my impossible girl."

Clara smiled and put her hands on his shoulders. "Looks like it is."

The Doctor leaned down and kissed her gently and she raised herself onto her tiptoes. Clara kissed him again with more passion and he wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer. After more longer, loving kisses they broke apart for breath and grinned at each other happily.

"Do you know what feels weird?" The Doctor asked.

"What?"

"Kissing...and not having Bella groaning at us to stop."

Clara laughed. "Yes, it is a bit, isn't it?"

"Not that I'm complaining."

Clara raised her eyebrows. "Good." She leaned up and kissed him again, feeling the corners of his mouth turn up into a smile. Clara drew back from the kiss and bit her lip. "What was it you and Bella were whispering about before she left?"

The Doctor was a bit surprised at her timing of the question. "I was just confirming something."

"Confirming what?"

He looked at her uneasily and mumbled his answer inaudibly.

"Sorry, what? Speak up Doctor, you know you can tell me anything."

The Doctor sighed and looked into her eyes. "I was confirming I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. And that I love you. A lot."

Clara put her arms behind his neck and pulled him into a long a fierce kiss. He was stunned at her spontaneity so took a moment to react, before kissing her back just as hard. Once Clara finally let him go she replied with a "I love you too."

She giggled and wondered around the console. "So where are we going today?"

The Doctor danced over the console with his hands. "Anywhere. Anywhere you want. Any time, any place, anywhere!"

Clara smiled and ran her hand down one of his arms. "Then whisk me away chin boy...and show me the stars."

_**The End**_

* * *

*A/N: I still can't believe I've finished writing this. But all good things have to come to an end. (But not love, not always).

I promise to write more fics after this one. And you never know, Bella could make a reappearance one day. Maybe.

**_I know I say this after every chapter, but as this is the final one, can I please have a review from each of you lovely readers? It would be amazing to know what you guys thought of this long plot twisting story which has finally reached a conclusion._**

I can't thank you guys enough for reading. See you soon.*


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